LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


OF 


.Ss^- 


Class 


THE  PREPOSITION  A. 


THE  RELATION  OF  ITS  MEANINGS  STUDIED  IN 
OLD  FRENCH. 


PART  I.     SITUATION. 


A    DISSERTATION 

PRESENTED   TO  THE  BOARD  OF  UNIVERSITY  STUDIES 

OF   THE  JOHNS    HOPKINS    UNIVERSITY   FOR   THE 

DEGREE   OF   DOCTOR   OF   PHILOSOPHY, 

JUNE,  1898, 


BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILSON. 


BALTIMORE: 

JOHN   MURPHY   COMPANY, 
1902. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


In  the  work  that  follows  the  author  purposes  to  treat  the 
French  syntactical  development  of  the  preposition  d,  from  a 
strictly  French  point  of  view — a  treatment  that  up  to  the  present 
has  not  been  proposed.  The  method  resorted  to  by  grammarians 
of  classifying  and  explaining  syntactical  phenomena  in  a  given 
language  by  means  of  a  system  of  parallel  examples  drawn  from 
other  languages  is  linguistic  opportunism,  and  as  such  bears  upon 
its  face  the  stamp  of  arbitrariness.  The  ad  of  French  territory  is 
essentially  a  unit  of  measure  and,  viewed  in  this  light,  falls  natur- 
ally into  two  great  divisions  : 

I.  In  expressions  where  SITUATION  is  defined. 

II.  In  expressions  where  DIRECTION  is  marked. 

A  scientific  treatment  of  the  use  of  the  preposition  d  in  expres- 
sions of  direction  must,  however,  be  accompanied  by  a  more  than 
passing  mention  of  the  question  of  the  use  of  ad  and  the  dative : 
Part  III,  then,  of  this  work  will  be  devoted  to  this  discussion. 
After  this  the  author  purposes  to  present  a  fourth  part  where  he 
will  endeavor  to  define  the  thought-territory  occupied  exclusively 
by  the  preposition  d,  and  that  shared  in  common  with  other  French 
prepositions. 


m 


1 17631 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


Aiol=Aiol  et  Mirabel  und  Elie  de  Saint  Gille:  zwei  Altfranzosische  Helden- 
gedichte,  herausgegeben  von  W.  Foerster.  Heilbronn,  1876-1882. 

Alex.  =  La  Vie  de  Saint  Alexis:  Poeme  du  Xle  Siecle  et  Renouvellements  des 
Xlle,  Xllle  et  XlVe  Siecles,  publies  avec  prefaces,  variantes,  notes  et 
glossaire  par  G.  Paris  et  L.  Pannier.  Reproduction  Autorisee  de  PEdi- 
tion  de  1872.  Paris,  1887. 

Am.  Am.  =  Amis  et  Amiles  und  Jourdaine  de  Blaivies :  Zwei  Altfranzosische 
Heldengedichte  des  Kerlingischen  Sagenkreises,  zum  ersten  Male  heraus- 
gegeben von  Dr.  C.  Hofmann.  Erlangen,  1852. 

Auc.  =  Aucassin  und  Nicolete,  mit  Paradigmen  und  Glossar  von  H.  Suchier. 
Vierte  Auflage.  Paderborn,  1899. 

Bast.  =  Li  Bastars  de  Buillon  (faisant  suite  au  roman  de  Baudoin  de  Sebourg) : 
Poeme  du  XlVe  sidcle,  public*  pour  la  premiere  fois  par  A.  Scheler. 
Bruxelles,  1877. 

Berte  =  Li  Roumans  de  Berte  aus  Grans  Pie's  par  Adenes  li  Rois :  Poeme  public 
avec  notes  et  variantes  par  A.  Scheler.  Bruxelles,  1874. 

Brun=  Brun  de  la  Montaigne :  Roman  d'Aventure,  public*  pour  la  premiere  fois 
par  P.  Meyer.  Paris,  1875. 

B.  Comm.  =  Bueves  de  Commarchis  par  Adenes  li  Rois :  Chanson  de  Geste, 
publiee  pour  la  premiere  fois  et  annotee  par  A.  Scheler.  Bruxelles,  1874. 

Ch.  II.  esp.  =  Li  Chevaliers  as  Deus  Espees :  Altfranzosischer  Abenteuerroman, 
zum  ersten  mal  herausgegeben  von  W.  Foerster.  Halle,  1877. 

Cleom.  =  Li  Roumans  de  Cle'omade's  par  Adenes  li  Rois,  public"  pour  la  premiere 
fois  par  A.  van  Hasselt.  Tome  Premier.  Bruxelles,  1865. 

Clig.  =  Cliges  von  Christian  von  Troyes,  zum  ersten  male  herausgegeben  von  W. 
Foerster.  Halle,  1884. 

Dial.  Gr.  =  Li  Dialoge  Gregoire  lo  Paper  Altfranzosische Uebersetzung  des  XII. 
Jahrhunderts  der  Dialogen  des  Papstes  Gregor,  zum  ersten  Male  heraus- 
gegeben von  W.  Foerster.  Halle,  1876. 

Enf.  Og.  =  Les  Enfances  Ogier  par  Adenes  li  Rois:  Poeme  public*  pour  la  pre- 
miere fois  par  A.  Scheler.  Bruxelles,  1874. 

Erec  =  Erec  und  Enide  von  Christian  von  Troyes,  herausgegeben  von  W.  Foerster. 

Halle,  1890. 
Esp.  =  L'Espurgatoire  Seint  Patriz  of  Marie  de  France:  an  Old-French  Poem 

of  the  Twelfth  Century,  published  by  T.  A  Jenkins.    Philadelphia,  1894. 

V 


vi  Abbreviations. 

Fab.  =  Poesies  de  Marie  de  France,  Poete  Anglo-Normand  du  XHIe  SiScle ;  ou 

Kecueil  de  Lais,  Fables  et  Autres  Productions  de  Cette  Femme  Ce"lebre, 

par  B.  de  Roquefort.     2  vols.    Paris,  1832. 
Guil.  B.  D.  =  Le  Besant  de  Dieu  von  Guillaume  le  Clerc  de  Normandie,  mit 

einer  Einleitung  iiber  den  Dichter  und  Seine  Sammtlichen  Werke,  heraus- 

gegeben  von  E.  Martin.    Halle,  1869. 
Ille  =  Ille  und  Galeron  von  Walter  von  Arras :  Altfranzosischer  Abenteuerroman 

des  XII.  Jahrhunderts,  herausgegeben  von  W.  Foerster.     Halle,  1891. 
Jeh.  Bl.  =  (Euvres  Poe"tiques  de  Philippe  de  Kemi  Sire  de  Beaumanoir,  publie'es 

par  H.  Suchier.    Paris,  1885.     P.  II,  Jehan  et  Blonde. 
Lais  =  Die  Lais  der  Marie  de  France,  herausgegeben  von  K.  Warnke.     Halle, 

1885. 
Lyon.  Yz.  =  Lyoner  Yzopet :  Altfranzosische  Ubersetzung  des  XIII.  Jahrhunderts 

in  der  Mundart  der  Franche-Comte",  zum  ersten  mal  herausgegeben  von  W. 

Foerster.    Heilbronn,  1882. 
Manek.  =  (Euvres  Poe*tiques  de  Philippe  de  Remi  Sire  de  Beaumanoir,  publie'es 

par  H.  Suchier.     Paris,  1884.    P.  I,  La  Manekine. 
Pant.  =  Le  Dit  de  la  PanthSre  d' Amours  de  Nicole  de  Margival :  Poeme  du 

XIHe  Siecle,  publi£  par  H.  A.  Todd.     Paris,  1883. 
Poeme  Mor.  =  Polme  Morale :  Altfranzb'sisches  Gedicht  aus  den  ersten  Jahren 

des  XIII.  Jahrhunderts,  zum  ersten  male  vollstandig  herausgegeben  von 

W.  Cloetta.     Erlangen,  1886. 

Prov.  Vil.  =  Li  Proverbe  au  Vilain,  die  Sprichworter  des  Gemeinen  Mannes  : 
Altfranzosische  Dichtung,  herausgegeben  von  A.  Tobler.  Leipzig,  1895. 

Reimpr.  =  Reimpredigt,  herausgegeben  von  H.  Suchier.    Halle,  1879. 

Rich.  =  Richars  li  Biaus,  zum  ersten  Male  herausgegeben  von  Dr.  W.  Foerster. 
Wien,  1874. 

Rol  =  La  Chanson  de  Roland :  Texte  Critique,  Traduction  et  Commentaire, 
Grammaire  et  Glossaire,  par  L.  Gautier.  Tours,  1887. 

8.  Aub.  —  Vie  de  Seint  Auban :  a  Poem  in  Norman-French  Ascribed  to  Matthew 
Paris,  now  for  the  first  time  edited  by  R.  Atkinson.  London,  1876. 

S.  S.  Bern.  =  Li  Sermon  Saint  Bernart :  Alteste  Franzosische  Ubersetzung  der 
Lateinischen  Predigten  Bernhards  von  Clairvaux,  zum  ersten  mal  voll- 
standig herausgegeben  von  W.  Foerster.  Erlangen,  1885. 

Venus  =•  De  Venus  la  Deesse  d'Amor:  Altfranzosisches  Minnegedicht  aus  dem 
XIII.  Jahrhundert,  zum  ersten  Male  herausgegeben  von  W.  Foerster. 
Bonn,  1880. 

Vr.  An.  =  Li  Dis  dou  Vrai  Aniel,  Die  Parabel  von  dem  Achten  Ringe : 
Franzosische  Dichtung  des  Dreizehnten  Jahrhunderts,  zum  ersten  male 
herausgegeben  von  A.  Tobler.  Zweite  Auflage.  Leipzig,  1884. 

Yvain  =  Der  Lowenritter  (Yvain)  von  Christian  von  Troyes,  herausgegeben  von 
W.  Foerster.  Halle,  1887. 


CONTENTS. 


PREFATORY  NOTE  ....................  ,  .....................................................  i" 

ABBREVIATIONS  .........................................  -  ....................................  v 

CONTENTS  .................................................................................  .....  vii 

A. 

BASIC  CONSTRUCTIONS. 

The  idea  of  place  paramount  ..............................................................  1 

1.  The  preposition  d  in  expressions  where  space-division  is  brought  about  1 

by  noticeable  natural  limits  (ad  fontem  cervus,  cum  bibisset,  restitit)  l 

(a)  Parts  of  the  body  ........................................................  1 

(b)  Various  diversities  of  nature  ..........................................  5 

—Noticeable  natural  limits  in  temporal  space  .......................................  7 

2.  The  preposition  d  in  expressions  where  space-division  is  brought  about  9 

by  noticeable  artificial  limits  (ad  urbem  cum  esset,  audivit)  2  ......  ..... 

(a)  Class-names  of  places  ...................................................  9 

(b)  Proper  names  of  places  ...  .............................................  12 

—  Noticeable  artificial  limits  in  temporal  space  .......................  «  ..............  14 

(a)  Class-names  of  epochs  ..................................................  14 

(b)  Proper  names  of  epochs  ................................................  17 

B. 

INTERMEDIARY  CONSTRUCTIONS. 

The  idea  of  place  subordinate  .............................................................  19 

1.  The  preposition  d  in  expressions  where  space-division  is  brought  about 

by  a  characterizing  aught  (ad  senatum  stare)3  ................  ...  ............  21 

—  A  characterizing  aught  in  temporal  space  ..........................................  25 

2.  The  preposition  d,  in  expressions  where  space-division  is  brought  about 

by  a  characterizing  action  (primus  ad  pcenitentiam)  4  .......................  29 

—  A  characterizing  action  in  temporal  space  ..........................................  31 


2  Cicero,  Actio  in  Verrem  Secunda,  2.  8.  §  21. 
8  Cicero,  Academicse  Quaestiones,  2.  45. 
4  Tacitus,  Annales,  1.  28. 

vii 


viii  Contents. 

C. 

DEVELOPMENTS. 

The  disappearance  of  the  idea  of  place 34 

1.  The  preposition  d,  in  expressions  of  intensity  (perpotavit  ad  vesperam) 1...  37 

(a)  Intensity  measured  on  a  scale  borrowed  from  space-divisions.  39 

(b)  Intensity  measured  on  a  scale  peculiar  to  itself 41 

— The  expression  of  temporal  intensity 44 

2.  The  preposition  d,  in  expressions  of  modality   (ad  slrepitum  citharce 

cessantem  ducere  somnum) 2 , 46 

(a)  Modality  suggested  by  the  aid  of  the  divisions  of  space 50 

(b)  Modality  suggested  by  the  aid  of  predicated  modality — 

by  means  peculiar  to  itself 53 

— The  expression  of  temporal  modality 61 

3.  The  preposition  &  in  expressions  of  appurtenance  (regionem  quse  ad 

Aduatucos  adiacet)3 65 

(a)  Appurtenance  employed  to  designate  possession 68 

(b)  Appurtenance  employed  to  designate  a  characteristic 71 

— The  expression  of  temporal  appurtenance 74 

BIBLIOGRAPHY „ 76 

LIFE...  79 


1  Cicero,  in  M.  Antonium,  Oratio  Philippica,  2.  77. 

2  Horatius,  Epistulae,  1.  2.  31. 

r,  De  Bello  Gallico,  6.  33. 


THE  PREPOSITION  A. 

THE  RELATION   OF  ITS  MEANINGS  STUDIED  IN 
OLD   FRENCH. 


A. 

BASIC  CONSTRUCTIONS. 
THE  IDEA  OF  PLACE,  PAKAMOUNT. 

1.  The  preposition  a  in  expressions  where  space- 
division  is  brought  about  by  noticeable  natural 
limits :  the  preposition  and  its  object  designate 
that  part  of  space  where  action  or  aught  is  repre- 
sented as  being. 

(a.) 
Parts  of  the  Body. 

For  the  division  of  space,  it  is  easy  to  think  that 
man  in  his  language  took  himself  as  point  of  de- 
parture. Aught  or  action  is  first  then,  on  the  right 
hand  or  the  left ;  in  the  face  or  at  the  back ;  a  sword 
thrust  is  four  fingers  deep,  a  ditch  is  three  arm- 
lengths  wide,  or  a  wall  is  as  high  as  the  height  of 
a  man.  These  are  general  space-divisions,  and  the 
parts  of  the  body  play  here  an  incidental  role — one 
resulting  from  mere  convenience. 

1 


2  The  Preposition  A. 

There  are,  However,  inseparable  from  the  usage 
just  mentioned,  divisions  of  space  where  the  parts 
of  the  body  are  not  incidental  units  of  convenience, 
but  peculiar  necessities ;  as,  with  verbs  of  wearing, 
carrying,  wounding,  kissing,  etc.  The  prepositional 
treatment  of  the  parts  of  the  body  used  with  these 
verbs  is  diverse  in  Old  French,  and  in  many  cases 
totally  different  from  what  we  find  in  the  modern 
language ;  as,  blescier  parmi  la  quisse,  al  cuer ;  porter, 
alcune  rien  en  la  teste,  el  col;  baisier  alcun  en  la 
bouche,  etc.,  etc. 

The  following  examples  will  show  the  role  played 
by  the  preposition  a  in  these  general  and  particular 
divisions  of  space  that  depend  on  parts  of  the  body : 

Dist  Blancandrins :  Par  ceste  meie  destre  E  par  la  barbe  ki 
a  l'pi&  me  ventelet,  L'ost  des  Franceis  verrez  sempres  desfaire : 
Franc  s'en  irunt  en  France  la  lur  tere.  Rol.  48. 

Trop  avez  este"  a  genou&,  Relevez  sus,  jel  vos  comant,  Et 
soiiez  des  ore  an  avant  De  ma  cort  et  de  moi  privez,  Qu'a  buen 
port  estes  arivez.  Cliges,  380. 

Li  cent  qui  vienent  a  eslais  Gardent  a  destre  .1.  poi  a  mont, 
Les  .xx.  coisirent  sor  le  pont.  Illoec  atendent  lor  neveu  Ille,  le 
bon,  le  bel,  le  preu.  Ille,  368. 

Mes  mout  i  orent  po  este,  Quant  il  virent  un  chevalier 
Venir  arme  sor  un  destrier,  L'escu  au  col,  la  lance  el  poing. 
— La  rei'ne  le  vit  de  loing. —  Delez  lui  chevauchoit  a  destre 
Une  pucele  de  grant  estre,  Et  devaut  aus  sor  un  roncin 
Venoit  uns  nains  tot  le  chemin,  Et  ot  an  sa  main  aportee 
Une  escorgiee  an  son  noee.  Erec,  141,  143. 

D'altre  part,  vers  le  su,  a  destre,  Li  mustrerent  perillus 
estre :  U  il  le  meinent  a  oi'z  Gries  pleintes  e  dolurs  e  criz. 

Esp.  933. 

Cui  est  li  asnes,  a  la  coue  li  court,  ce  dit  li  vilains. 

Prov.Vil.  47. 


The  Preposition  X.  3 

Comander  vos  vuel  et  priier  Que  ja  n'an  aiiez  au  cuer  ire, 
Ne  por  lui  ne  leissiez  a  dire  Chose  qui  nos  pleise  a  oi'r  Se  de 
m'amor  volez  joi'r,  Si  comanciez  tot  de  rechief !  Yvain,  137. 

Al  chief,  as  pie&  e  as  coste&   Aveit  vint  cirges  aluraez. 

Lais,  Yon.  507. 

Aucassins  fu  armes  sor  son  ceval,  si  con  vos  aves  01  et  entendu. 
Dix !  con  li  sist  li  escus  au  col  et  li  hiaumes  u  cief  et  li  renge 
de  s'espee  sor  le  senestre  hance !  Auc.  10,  2. 

Lors  s'adouba  la  maisnie  Charlon,  Vestent  haubers,  lacent 
elmes  reons,  Ceingent  espees  as  senestres  g irons,  Montent 
es  selles  des  destriers  arragons,  h  A  lor  cols  pendent  les  escus 
as  lyons  Et  en  lor  poins  les  roiaus  confanons. 

Am.  Am.  213,  215. 

II  est  uenus  al  lit  u  gist  ses  peres,  Et  Elies  Papele,  caint 
li  Pespee  Qui  tant  estoit  trenchans  et  longe  et  lee ;  Moyses,  li 
herrnites,  Pot  aportee,  Qui  .xv.  ans  tous  entiers  Pauoit  gardee, 
Souent  Pauoit  forbie  et  ressuee,  Qu'el  ne  fu  enruinie  ne  tressalee. 
Et  Elies  li  a  al  flanc  seree,  Mais  la  resne  ert  ronpue  et 
renoee.  Aiol,  519. 

Quar  el  grant  ermitage  teilz  ermites  manoit,  Qui  plus  pres  de 
cine  liwes  gote  d'aiwe  n'avoit.  Danz  Moyses  par  nuit  a  son  col 
li  portoit,  Si  faisoit  il  cascon  qui  mestier  en  avoit. 

Poeme  mor,  63  c. 

Gil  as  .ij.  espees  coisist  Haul  et  droit  et  il  Pa  feru  Si  ke 
Pescu  li  a  cousu  Au  brae,  et  le  brae  a  I'aisele. 

Ch.  II.  esp.  1773. 

Mais  la  encontre  Libertins  soi  ius  esternanz  en  terre  et  abaissiez 
a  ses  pie%  disoit  ce  estre  de  sa  culpe,  nient  auoir  esteit  de  la 
cruelteit  del  abeit  ce  ke  il  auoit  soffert.  Dial.  Gr.  14,  18. 

Per  corroz  sibloit  la  colueure,  Por  son  ueniu  plus  fort  esmueure. 
En  siblant  son  oste  menace,  A  lui  se  ioint,  au  col  lo  lace, 
A  ses  denz  uenimous  lo  mort,  En  poul  de  tens  lou  giete  mort. 

Lyon,  Ys.  590. 

Merchis  li  ai  requis,  con  cil  qui  mout  s'esmaie,     A  genous. 


4  The  Preposition  A. 

iointes  mains,  qu'ele  encure  ma  plaie,     Car  ie  sui  tos  certains, 
n'aurai  garison  uraie,     Se  de  moi  n?a  merci  et  pitie  et  manaie, 

Venus,  71  b. 

Lia  e  repruva,  laidit  e  escharni,  Gesk'au  sane  espandre  de 
escurgies  bati,  Des  paumes  a  la  face  criieument  feri,  En  un 
fust  dresce",  autre  entravers  parmi,  A  clous  le  afferma,  encroa 
e  pendi,  De  espines  curuna,  a  boivre  fel  tendi ;  Par  despit 
disoient  a  genoilluns  devant  li : — S.  Aub.  235,  239. 

Bele  fille,  or  ne  vous  desplace,  Fait  li  rois,  chou  que  vous 
voeil  dire,  Ne  ja  n'en  aies  au  cuer  ire.  Manek.  512. 

Deseur  Pesponde  s'est  assise,  S'a  desur  son  front  sa  main  mise, 
Et  puis  au  pous,  si  sent  ses  vaines  Qui  se  remuevent  mais  a 
paines.  Jeh.  Bl.  1179. 

Cent  chevalier  m?i  ont  mis  a  destrucion  Et  moi  navre  ou 
cors,  s'en  ai  au  cuer  fri9on.  B.  Comm.  184. 

Je  croi  qu'il  soient  orendroit  compaignon  En  paradis  lez 
Dieu  a  son  giron.  Enf.  Og.  257. 

Sagement  et  bel  chevauchoient,  Com  gent  qui  d'armes  duit 
estoient,  Les  batailles  Pune  apr£s  Pautre,  Le  petit  pas,  lance 
sor  fautre,  Escus  as  couls,  hiaumes  laciez.  Cleom.  617. 

Ha  !  sire  Diex,  fait  ele,  com  sui  en  male  esploite,  D'anui  et  de 
paour  sui  au  cuer  si  destroite,  Et  car  me  secorez,  mere  Dieu 
beneoite !  Berte,  777. 

Sire,  ie  sui  de  toi  enchainte,  De  tel  coroie  m'a  diex  chainte 
Dont  Pai  au  cuer  mout  tres  grant  ioie.  Rich.  95. 

.III.  chevaliers  por  li  conduire,  Si  que  nul  ne  li  peiist  nuire, 
Avoit  en  tour  li,  Pun  a  destre,  Li  autres  estoit  a  senestre  / 
Et  li  tiers,  etc.  Pant.  279,  280. 

Et  au  senestre  les  es  Huon  Dodekin,  Et  li  troi  vesque 
sont  a!6  vers  le  marin.  Bast.  232. 

Car  se  li  anfes  est  ostez  de  sa  maison  II  en  aura  au  cuer 
en  brief  temps  marison.  Brun,  91. 


The  Preposition  A. 


Various  Diversities  of  Nature. 

The  next  step  for  language  in  the  division  of  space, 
after  having  utilized  the  parts  of  the  body,  was 
undoubtedly  to  seize  upon  the  various  diversities  of 
nature  and  press  them  into  service  as  a  multiple 
scale  of  measurement  :  a  thing  was  on  the  top  or  at 
the  bottom  ;  on  the  mountain  or  in  the  plain  ;  on  the 
side,  or  in  the  front,  or  in  the  rear  ;  in  a  tree  or  on 
the  grass;  in  port  or  lost  at  sea;  on  a  river  or  at  a 
spring,  etc.,  etc. 

These,  it  is  true,  might  be  subdivided;  but  in 
accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  classification  pro- 
posed, it  seems  more  logical  to  group  into  a  single 
class  all  that  met  the  gaze  of  a  primitive  maker  of 
language,  when  he  lifted  his  eyes  from  himself. 

Carles  me  mandet,  ki  France  ad  en  baillie,  Que  me  remembre 
de  la  sue  grant  ire  ;  Q'est  de  Basan  e  sun  frere  Basilie,  Dunt 
pris  les  chiefs  as  puts  de  Haltoi'e.  Rol.  491. 

Les  nes  sont  chargiees  au  port.     Cliges,  235. 

Li  cent  qui  vienent  a  eslais  Gardent  a  destre  .1.  poi  a  mont, 
Les  .xx.  coisirent  sor  le  pont.  Ille,  368. 

Aussi  iert  Enide  plus  bele  Que  nule  dame  ne  pucele  Qui 
fust  trovee  an  tot  le  monde,  Qui  le  cerchast  a  la  reonde; 

Erec,  2416. 

Quant  manjuent  seignour,  Gar9on  et  lecheour  Fors  de  Tostel 
remaignent  Et  gaitent  aus  pertuis;  Et  quant  on  uevre  1'uis, 
Enz  par  force  s'enpaignent.  Teus  s'enbat  come  chiens,  qui  vit 
come  hon,  ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  134. 

A  I'arbre  vi  le  bacin  pandre  Del  plus  fin  or  qui  fust  a 
vandre  Onques  ancor  an  nule  foire.  Yvain,  419. 


6  The  Preposition  A. 

Pres  de  eel  munt  a  une  part  Par  grant  cunseil  e  par  esguart 
Une  cite  fist  faire  uns  reis  Qui  esteit  sire  des  Pistreis. 

Lais,  2  Am.  11. 

Sire,  nos  estiiens  orains  ci  entre  prime  et  tierce,  si  mangiens 
no  pain  a  ceste  fontaine,  ausi  con  nos  faisons  ore. 

Auc.  22,  30. 

Ce  dist  dou  Leu  &  don  Aignel  Qui  beveient  a  un  rossel; 
Li  Lox  a  la  sorse  beveit  E  li  Aigniaus  a  vaul  esteit. 

Fab.  II.  2,  3,  4. 

Se  nol  voz  ranz  recreant  et  mate,  Faitez  moi  pendre  et 
au  vent  encroer.  Am.  Am.  763. 

Sa  lance  fu  si  longe,  ne  pot  en  Pabitacle,  Ains  remest  par 
dehors  al  uent  et  a  Vorage.  Aiol,  92. 

Ankor  n'astoit  a  terre  que  li  pastres  lo  voit  Qui  la  gardoit 
berbis,  que  Moyses  queroit.  Lors  soi  prent  a  la  fine,  car  bien 
lo  conissoit,  Et  a  teil  barbarin  qui  soi  combateroit  ? 

Poeme  Mor.  33  a. 

Si  jeo  donqes  le  rei  lessasse  E  un  vilain  servir  alasse,  Qui 
mult  grant  honte  me  feist  E  chescun  jor  bien  me  batist  E  me 
feist  ses  boes  garder  Son  fien  mener  e  carier  E  me  peust 
malveisement  E  me  vestist  plus  povrement  E  me  feist  la 
hors  al  freit,  Tant  com  le  fort  yver  durreit,  Por  ses  bestes 
garder  remaindre,  Qui  devreit  ma  mesaise  plaindre  ? 

Guil.  B.  D.  543. 

Chescuns  tenoit  diuerse  uoie,  Au  dessus  boit  de  la  fontaigne 
Li  lous  de  pansee  mal  sainne,  Li  aigneax  de  simple  coraige 
Beuoit  au  desoz  dou  riuaige.  Lyon.  Ys.  67,  70. 

Nos  faisons  ui  chier  freire  Fencommencement  de  Pauent.  cuy 
nons  est  asseiz  renommeiz  et  conuiz  al  munde. 

Sr.  S.  Bern.  1,  2. 

Enmi  eel  pre  ot  un  arbre  mout  bel,  De  mainte  guise  i  cantoient 
oisel,  Al  pie  de  Varbre  par  deles  le  tuel  Ot  une  tombe  d'un 
gentil  damoisel.  Venus,  252  c. 

Uns  chevalers  gentilz,  ki  ala  trainant  Auban  a  martire  au 
puier  le  pendant,  Ki  Aracle  avoit  nun,  e  cist  out  le  cumant 


The  Preposition  A.  7 

De  decoler  Auban  receii  du  tirant,  Quant  veit  le  miracle  Jesu 
tesmoniant,  E  les  resuscitez  ki  venant  Deu  louant,  AM 
sabelun  u  nuls  unc  hom  ala  avant,  Chiet  as  piez  Auban,  si 
engette  sun  brant,  E  dist  en  haute  voiz,  les  sarrazins  ouant : — 

S,  Aub.  798,  803. 

Amours  a  du  mont  maint  message ;  Ce  sont  li  oel  dont 
cascuns  voit,  Et  cascuns  cuers  en  ses  ex  croit,  Et  la  ou  il  veut 
les  envoie,  Et  convient  que  du  tout  les  croie.  Manek.  1420. 

De  Nerbonne  s'en  istrent  li  chevalier  a  plain,  En  une  praerie 
seur  la  riviere  du  plain /  B.  Comm.  111. 

Mainte  ensaigne  desvolepe"e  Y  ot  au  vent,  et  maint 
penon ;  Cleom.  605. 

Gel  jour  fist  moult  lait  tans  et  de  froide  maniere,  Et  Berte 
gist  a  dens  par  deseur  la  bruiere ;  Berte,  608. 

Li  bons  roys  Bauduins,  a  Paduret  corage,  A  choisi  la  chite, 
dessus  le  mer  ombrage,  Qui  couroit  a  Vun  les;  la  i  ot  biau 
rivage.  Bast.  82. 

Si  chevauchoit  plus  fort  qu'oissiaus  ne  vole  a  vent. 

Brun,  63. 

— Noticeable  natural  limits  in  temporal  space. 

In  temporal  space,  nature  again  furnishes  the  basis 
for  divisions :  the  morning,  the  coming  of  the  sun, 
and  the  evening,  the  going  of  the  sun,  was  the  first 
day.  The  day  was  where  there  was  light  and  men 
fought  until  they  came  to  night.  So,  too,  the  seasons 
of  the  year  were,  as  it  were,  a  presence,  a  coming  or 
a  going.  Thus  it  is  seen  that  thought  and  language 
devised  no  new  system  for  dividing  time,  but  chose 
rather  to  regard  it  as  something  palpable:  the  span 
of  life,  a  space  of  time. 

Here  then  with  these  natural  limits  of  temporal 
space,  we  will  not  be  surprised  to  find  a  continuing 
the  functions  peculiar  to  its  locative- ad  verb  origin. 


8  The  Preposition  X. 

A  Vmatinet,  quant  primes  apert  Falbe;  Esveilliez  est  li 
emperere  Carles.  Eol.  2845. 

A  la  nuit  de  la  cort  s'an  anble  Cliges  et  de  tote  la  jant, — 
N'i  ot  chevalier  ne  serjant  Qui  onques  seiist  qu'il  devint, — 
Ne  fina  jusqu'a  Jehan  vint  Qui  de  quanqu'il  puet  le  consoille. 

Cliges,  6172. 

Un  jor  de  Pasque,  au  tans  novel,  A  Caradigan  son  chastel 
Ot  li  rois  Artus  cort  tenue.  Erec,  27. 

Nus  ne  puet  deservir  Gr6  en  felon  servir,  Sou  vent  Pavons 
veu.  Servirs  trop  pou  i  vaut;  Qui  une  foiz  li  faut,  Si  a 
trestout  perdu.  Au  vespre  loe  on  le  jour,  au  matin  son 
oste,  ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  12. 

Li  perrons  iert  d'une  esmeraude,  Perciez  aussi  com  une  boz, 
Et  ot  quatre  rubiz  dessoz  Plus  flanboianz  et  plus  vermauz 
Que  n'est  au  matin  li  solauz  Quant  il  apert  an  oriant. 

Yvain,  428. 

El  demain  a  la  matinee    Li  sire  lieve  a  I'ajurnee    E 

dit  qu'il  vuelt  aler  chacier.     Lais,  Yon.  301. 

Passent  les  vaus  et  les  mons  Et  les  viles  et  les  bors.  A  la 
mer  vinrent  au  jor,  Si  des9endent  u  sablon  les  le  rivage. 

Auc.  27,  17. 

Icelle  nuit  i  jut  li  gentiz  horn  Et  au  matin  s'en  vint  en 
Pre  Noiron.  Am.  Am.  65. 

Hier  al  soir,  por  mes  pechiez  ki  ce  faisoient,  moi  hortoi  a  un 
escamel  de  dessoz  les  piez,  et  si  soffri  ceste  chose. 

Dial.  Gr.  14,  25. 

E  il  vendra  si  sodement  Certes,  que  nus  ne  savum  quant, 
Au  matin  ou  au  coc  chantant  Ou  a  mienuit  ou  al 
seir:  Guil.  B.  D.  50,  51. 

A  Pautre  koeure  qui  pendoit  par  engin  Auoit  saietes,  li  fer 
erent  d'or  fin;  Qui  en  ert  naures  al  soir  et  al  matin,  Ce 
fait  amors  torner  a  sa  maniere  enclin.  Venus,  249  c. 

Ne  beit  mais  des  bons  vins  gisantz  en  sun  celer,  De  riche 
vaissele  a  servant  butuiller;  N'a  mais  delici'uses  viandes  & 


The  Preposition  A.  9 

manger;  Prisun  ad  obscure  pur  sale  e  pur  soler,  Manicles  e 
buies  en  liu  de  buus  d'or  cler ;  A  plume  ne  a  cotun  ne  a  pailles 
d'utre  mer,  De  sole  coiltes  pointes  n'a  mais  lit  au  chucher; 
Feim  ad  e  sei  e  freit  au  soir  e  au  disner,  Pur  lit  ad 
roche  bise  si  dure  cum  acier.  S.  Aub.  683. 

Cascuns  oisiaus  en  son  latin  Cante  doucement  au  matin 
Pour  la  saison  qui  est  novele.  Manek.  2164. 

Ce  fu  a  une  matinee.     Cleom.  603. 

Trop  sui  abandonne"e,  par  Dieu  qui  est  sans  fin,  Mais  che 
fait  bonne  amours  qui  m'en  donne  doctrin,  Qui  chi  m'a  fait 
venir,  che  est  sans  mal  engin,  Mais  j'estoie  navre*e  d'un  grief 
dart  acherin,  Dont  amours  me  frapoit  au  vespre  et  au 
matin  Tellement,  biaus  dous  sire,  que  ne  sai  medechin  Dont 
je  peiisse  avoir  garison  ne  doctrin,  Si  m'en  couvient  morir 
ains  le  mois  de  juing.  — Non  fera,  douche  amie,  dist  li  roys 
Bauduin,  Car  je  vous  garirai  ains  que  nuis  prenge  fin. 

Bast.  2633. 


2.  The  preposition  a  in  expressions  where  space- 
division  is  brought  about  by  noticeable  artificial 
limits : 

(a.) 
Class-names  of  Places. 

We  have  seen  how  language  divided  up  space 
when  man  stood  alone  as  it  were  with  nothing  before 
him  save  the  heavens,  the  earth,  and  the  sea.  His 
industry  has,  however,  in  the  meantime,  brought 
about  great  changes  in  his  social  condition  and 
hence  in  his  language :  he  now  lives  in  a  house,  he 
eats  and  plays  at  a  table,  he  sleeps  in  a  bed,  and 
from  a  window  he  looks  out  and  thinks  of  love. 
He  has  built  bridges  over  the  stream,  and  castles 


10  The  Preposition  A. 

with  walls  have   sprung  up  to  protect  him  and  his 
augmented  riches. 

In  short,  we  have  now  for  the  division  of  space 
all  the  class-names  of  places  that  go  to  make  up  a 
community :  in  a  country,  we  have  the  counties ;  in 
a  county,  we  have  the  cities ;  in  a  city,  the  houses ; 
in  a  house,  the  rooms ;  in  a  room,  the  bed,  the 
window,  the  table  and  the  door. — Let  us  see  in  what 
measure  the  preposition  a  is  employed  with  these. 

Sur  palies  blancs  siedent  cil  chevalier,  As  tables  juent  pur 
els  esbaneier,  E  as  eschecs  li  plus  saive  e  li  vieill ;  E 
escremissent  cil  bacheler  legier.  Rol.  Ill,  112. 

Par  moi  mei'smes  le  sai  bien :  Car  onques  n'an  poi  savoir  rien 
Par  losange  ne  par  parole,  S'an  ai  mout  este  a  escole  Et  par 
maintes  foiz  losangiee ;  Meis  toz  jorz  m'an  sui  estrangiee,  Si  le 
me  feit  chier  conparer,  Qu'or  an  sai  plus  que  bues  d'arer. 

Cliges,  1028. 

Et  par  9ou  est  il  tant  am^s  Qu'il  est  as  armes  chevaliers 
et  a  I'ostel  li  mains  parliers  Qui  onques  en  ceval  montast. 
Ne  cuidie"s  mie  qu'il  contast  Cose  qui  li  fust  avenue. 

Ille,  216. 

Au  roi  an  ala  congie"  prandre  Que  a  sa  cort,  ne  li  grevast, 
Ses  noces  feire  li  leissast.  Erec,  1921. 

Demain  iert  li  prestre  trai'z  E  par  la  fernrne  malbailliz  Qu'il 
a  pur  sa  fille  tenue,  Quant  a  sun  lit  Pavra  eiie  Einz  le  midi 
que  chascuns  Pole.  Esp.  2248. 

Quant  je  sui  a  la  court  Dont  touz  li  biens  me  sourt, 
Si  sui  come  en  liiens ;  Tart  m'est  que  hors  en  sole  Et  par  pals 
revoie  Mes  amis  anciiens.  Li  chiens  se  lieve  de  son  soue  dormir 
Et  va  au  bourc  colee  recoillir,  ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Yil.  61. 

A  I'uis  de  la  chanbre  defors  Fu  Dodinez  et  Sagremors 
Et  Keus  et  mes  sire  Gauvains.  Yvain,  53. 

Pres  del  chastel  enz  el  boscage    A  la  chapele  a  I'ermitage 

La  a  fet  faire  sun  mustier     E  ses  maisuns  edifier. 

Lais,  El.  1136. 


The  Preposition  A.  11 

Or  client  et  content  et  fablent  que  li  quens  Bougars  de  Valence 
faisoit  guere  au  conte  Garin  de  Biaucaire  si  grande  et  si 
mervelleuse  et  si  mortel,  qu'il  ne  fust  uns  seux  jors  ajornes 
qu'il  ne  fust  as  portes  et  as  murs  et  as  bares  de  le  vile 
a  .c.  cevaliers  et  a  .x.  mile  sergens  a  pie  et  a  ceval.  AUG.  2,  4. 

Geo  fui  or  ainz  a  un  cunte  U  il  ot  mult  gent  assanble", 
U  grant  Pule  fust  en  esveil,  En  grant  noise  et  grant  trepeill, 
D'un  briez  qui  vint  de  par  le  Roi,  Fab.  LII.,  11. 

A  Tranes  vint  Amiles  de  Clerraont  Et  va  querrant  dant  Ami 
le  baron.  Mont  Chevrol  puie  tant  que  il  vint  en  som,  Tant  que 
il  vint  a  Bore  c'on  dist  au  pont.  Am.  Am.  62. 

Des  or  s'en  ua  Aiols,  s'a  pris  "congie,  En  un  bos  en  entra 
grant  et  plenier,  De  .v.  lieues  plenieres  n'auoit  plaisie  Ne  uile 
ne  recet  por  herbergier  For  seul  a  I'ermitage  c'auoit  laisie. 

Aiol,  560. 

Quant  il  ot  la  grant  messe  oie  Et  la  roine  au  grant 
moustier  Et  tuit  li  autre  cheualier,  Les  dames  et  les 
damoisieles,  Dont  il  i  ot  asses  de  beles,  Li  rois  reuint  en  ses 
maisons.  Ch.  IL,  esp.  57. 

Az  queiz  disoit  icil :  Hier  al  soir,  por  mes  pechiez  ki  ce 
faisoient,  moi  hortoi  a  un  escamel  de  dessoz  les  piez,  et  si 
soffri  ceste  chose.  Dial.  Gr.  15,  1. 

Deus,  qui  ert  a  cele  hore  vis  Qu'il  veie  la  procession  Aler 
par  grant  devocion,  Flors  e  rains  de  palmes  porter  E  a 
portes  oires  entrer !  Guil.  B.  D.  2612. 

Cilz  quatres  qui  sont  aiostey     Au  chemin  se  sont  arostey. 

Lyon  Ys.  290. 

Tens  est  chier  freire  ke  li  iugemenz  encomenst  a  la  maison 
nostre  signor.  Sr.  S.  Bern.  17,  11. 

A  I'autre  fcoeure  qui  pendoit  par  engin  Auoit  saietes, 
li  fer  erent  d'or  fin;  Qui  en  ert  naures  al  soir  et  al  matin, 
Ce  fait  amors  torner  a  sa  maniere  enclin.  Venus,  249  a. 

E  le  seingnur  scant  al  uis  de  sun  ostal,  Nobile  citoien  en 
atur  festival  A  robe  d'or  batiie  e  nusches  de  aesmal. 

S.  Aub.  18. 


12  The  Preposition  A. 

Au  lit  est  du  tout  acouciee.     Manek.  95. 

Se  lontans  tel  vie  menast,  Ses  afaires  raout  bien  alast  ;  Mais 
amours  li  mua  son  siege,  Plus  court  le  tint  que  leu  a  piege. 

Jeh.  Bl.  422. 

Es  pre"s  devant  Nerbonne  sont  Franc  a  la  quintaine.  A  la 
cite  n'ot  dame  ne  fille  a  chastelaine  Qui  ne  s'en  isse  fors  cler 
chantant  con  seraine  ;  Richement  sont  vestues  de  cendaus  tains 
en  graine  Et  de  tr&s  nobles  dras  fais  de  delie  laine  ;  Mainte  en 
i  ot  plus  bele  c'onques  ne  fu  Elaine.  B.  Comm.  135. 

Par  eel  seignour  qui  nus  fist  a  s'ymage,  Ne  remanra  en  plain 
ne  en  boscage,  Ne  en  montaigne,  en  val  ne  en  rivage,  N'a 
bourc  n'a  vile,  n'en  fort,  tour  n'en  manage,  Se  ne  s'en  fuit 
coume  beste  sauvage.  En.  Og.  391. 

De  li  se  departi  la  male  chamberiere,  En  une  autre  chambre 
entre  Porde  vielle  sorciere,  Vers  le  jardin  le  roi  bien  pres  de 
la  riviere  ;  Sa  fille  y  a  trouvee,  cui  la  male  mors  fiere,  A  une 
fenestrele  qui  est  faite  de  piere.  Berte,  343. 

La  dame  fait  de  baume  enoindre,  A  une  glise  le  fait 
ioindre  Pries  d'un  autel  et  fait  sus  faire  .1.  biel  tombiel, 
puis  s'en  repaire,  Rich.  118. 

As  bailies  de  la  ville  es  pres,  sus  le  verdour,  Estoient 
Sarrazin  ordenet  a  lor  tour  :  Bast.  186. 

Quant  li  mesage  fu  au  perron  descendus  II  entra  en  la 
porte  et  ou  palais  lassus;  Tout  droit  en  la  cuissine  est  tout 
errant  venus.  Brun,  394. 


Proper  Names  of  Places. 

As  we  have  seen,  with  new  objects  brought  into 
existence  by  man's  needs,  came  new  names  and 
hence  greater  facility  for  the  expression  in  language 
of  the  idea  of  place.  In  the  preceding  division  of 
our  work  we  went  over  the  class-names  of  places 


The  Preposition  A.  13 

that  go  to  constitute  a  single  community.  Com- 
munities, however,  grew  in  number ;  one  found  there 
were  other  villages  besides  one's  own — the  village ; 
other  ports  besides  the  one  that  sheltered  one's 
fisher  bark.  The  giving  of  names  came  into  usage 
to  avoid  confusion ;  and  counties,  cities,  rivers,  moun- 
tains and  even  the  bell  in  the  steeple  was  christened 
and  became  personified.  The  preposition  a  continues 
here  its  old  functions  in  the  expression  of  situation. 

Dreit  a  Lalice  rejuint  li  sons  edrers.     Elex.  38  e. 

Quant  cascuns  iert  &  sun  meillur  repaire,  Carles  serat  ad 
Ais,  a  sa  capele ;  A  seint  Michiel  tiendrat  mult  halte  feste. 

Rol.  52. 

Et  font  demander  et  anquerre,  Se  li  rois  est  an  Angleterre. 
L'an  lor  dit  qu'il  est  a  Guineestre,  Cliges,  291. 

Mout  fu  a  grant  honor  voee  A  Home  au  jour  que  fu  doee 
Et  la  dame  et  de  son  per.  Ille,  90. 

Un  jor  de  Pasque,  an  tans  novel,  A  Caradigan  son  chastel 
Ot  li  rois  Artus  cort  tenue.  Erec,  28. 

Mout  est  loing  de  Rome,  qui  a  Paris  jupe,  ce  dit  li  vilains. 

Prov.Vil.  169. 

La  corz  fu  a  Carduel  an  Gales.     Yvain,  7. 

En  Bretaigne  a  Nantes  maneit  Une  dame  qui  mult  valeit. 
Lais,  Chait.  9. 

A  Biaucaire  sous  la  tor    Estoit  Aucassins  un  jor. 

Auc.  39,  1. 

Huimais  orrez  de  ces  II  compaingnons,  Com  il  servirent 
a  Paris  a  Charlon  Par  lor  grant  compaingnie. 

Am.  Am.  17. 

II  plot  a  dameldieu  qui  onques  ne  menti,  Que  mors  fu 
Karlemaines  et  a  Ais  enfouis,  A  Loeys  remest  li  tere  et  li 
pais,  Li  traitor  de  France  Pont  de  guere  entrepris.  Aiol,  24. 


14  The  Preposition  A. 

Entre  les  crestiiens,  el  novel  testament,  Sainz  Sixtes  fut 
a,  Home  uns  de  la  sainte  gent.  Poeme  mor.  495  b. 

A  Disnadaron  seiorna     Bien  .viij.  iors,  .  .  . 

Ch.  II.,  esp.  11191. 

Ki  fut  neiz  de  franche  lingie  de  la  contreie  Nursie,  et 
a  Xtomme  fut  doneiz  a  liberaz  estuides  de  lettres  de  son 
pere  et  de  sa  mere.  Dial.  Gr.  55,  7. 

A  IBeruic  tout  droit  au  port  Fu  bien  garnie  (sc.  sa  nef)  a 
bon  esfort.  Manek.  2531. 

Sa  tere  estoit  a  Dantmartin,     Illuec  estoit  soir  et  matin. 

Jeh.  Bl.  65. 

Droit  ens  ou  point  d'este  que  pre  sont  plus  herbu,  K'oiseillon 
chantent  cler  parmi  maiut  gaut  fueillu,  Furent  moult  Sarrazin 
d'assaillir  esmeii  Nostre  gent  crestienne  qui  a  Nerbonne 
fu;  B.  Comm.  1536. 

A  Sustre  fu  Charles  et  ses  barnes ;     Enf.  Og.  1878. 

Moult  ot  en  Virgile  sage  homme  Et  soutieu;  car  il  fist 
a  Homme  Une  chose  moult  engingneuse,  Moult  soutieu  et 
moult  merveilleuse.  Cleom.  1724. 

Et  sa  fille  ot  non  Berte  en  France,  mais  Aliste  Fu  nonme*e 
en  baptesme  et  fu  nee  a  Valgiste.  Berte,  2221. 

Une  nuit,  en  temps  de  moissons,  Estoie  en  mon  lit  a 
Soissons,  Forment  du  cuer  pensif,  .  .  .  Pant.  48. 

Li  roys  Bauduins  fu  a  Miekes  ou  palais,  Servis  fu 
noblement  de  vins  et  d'entremais.  Bast.  2365. 

— Noticeable  artificial  limits  in  temporal  space. 

(a.) 
Class  Names  of  Epochs. 

The  multiplication  of  time-division  follows  the 
course  laid  out  by  the  division  of  space.  In  the 


The  Preposition  A.  15 

natural  limits  of  time  we  saw  the  primitive  divisions 
brought  about  by  the  diversities  of  nature :  day  meant 
light,  and  at  the  moment  the  light  came,  Aucassins 
had  gotten  as  far  as  the  sea. 

We  now  come  to  study  the  artificial  divisions  of 
time,  where  day,  for  instance,  has  acquired  a  new 
meaning:  Cliges  says  that  no  day,  while  he  live, 
will  he  ever  be  dubbed  a  knight  unless  it  be  king 
Arthur  who  girds  for  him  the  sword.  Here  we 
have  the  life  of  a  man  divided  into  units  that  Cliges 
calls  days;  that  is,  as  in  space,  where  we  have 
already  seen  class- names  of  places  spring  up  to  aid 
in  the  expression  of  situation,  so  in  time,  epochs 
are  recognized  and  become  class-names  of  times. 
Such  are :  minutes,  hours,  days,  weeks,  months,  years ; 
and  more  general  still:  term,  time,  epoch,  point, 
age,  life,  etc.,  etc. 

Bons  fut  li  siecles  dl  tens  ancienor,  Quer  feit  i  ert  e  justise 
et  amor,  Si  ert  credance,  dont  or  n'i  at  nul  prot :  Tot  est 
mudez,  perdtide  at  sa  color;  Ja  mais  n'iert  tels  com  fut  as 
anceisors.  Alex.  1  a. 

En  Pun  qui  serat,  Ja  rien  ne  voldrat,  N'ait  a  volente"; 
En  Paltre  plorrunt,  Que  ja  mais  n'avrunt  Bien  a  nul 
ee.  Reimpr.  106  f. 

Ja  n'avrai  armee  la  face  Ne  hiaume  el  chief,  jel  vos  plevis, 
A  nul  jor  que  je  soie  vis,  Tant  que  li  rois  Artus  me  paingne 
L'espee,  se  feire  le  daingne ;  Que  d'autrui  ne  vuel  armes  prandre. 
Cliges,  118. 

Mout  fu  a  grant  honor  voee  A  Rome  au  jour  que  fu  doee 
Et  la  dame  et  de  son  per.  Ille.  90. 

Quant  li  riches  pramet  Au  povre  et  il  le  met  De  rien  en 
esperance,  Bien  cuide  cil  savoir  Que  il  le  doie  avoir  Au 
terme,  sanz  doutance.  Plus  apareilliee  chose  remaint,  ce  dit 
li  vilains.  Prov.  Yil.  7. 


16  The  Preposition  A. 

Artus,  li  buens  rois  de  Bretaingne,  La  cui  proesce  nos 
ansaingne  Que  nos  soiiens  preu  et  cortois,  Tint  cort  si  riche 
come  rois  A  cele  feste  qui  tant  coste,  Qu'an  doit  clamer  la 
pantecoste.  Yvain,  5. 

Al  jur  que  cil  orent  nume",     Li  barun  furent  asemble. 

Lais,  Lan.  417. 

Or  m'afies  vos,  fait  Auscassins,  que  a  nul  jor,  que  vos 
aie"s  a  vivre,  ne  porres  men  pere  faire  honte  ne  destorbier  de 
sen  cors  ne  de  sen  avoir,  que  vos  ne  li  facies  ?  Auc.  10,  66. 

Li  cuens  s'esveille,  toute  mue  la  chiere,  Et  dist  li  quens: 
"qui  iez  tu  envoisie,  Qui  a  tele  hore  iez  delez  moi  couchie? 
Si  tu  iez  fame  espeuse  nosoie  Ou  fille  Karle  qui  France  a  en 
baillie,  Je  te  conjur  de  deu  le  fil  Marie,  Ma  douce  amie, 
retorne  t'an  arriere."  Am.  Am.  675. 

A  un  altre  tens  altressi  por  une  cause  del  moustier  par 

10  comant  del  abeit,  ki  uint  apres  son  maistre     Honoreit,  s'en 
alat  Libertins  a  Rauenne.     Dial.  Gr.  12,  8. 

Fain  muez  ma  poure  faue  rore,  Qu'estre  en  peril  a  chescune 
hore.  Lyon.  Ys.  712. 

A  tant  s'est  sur  un  lit  coucies.     Jh.  Bl.  496. 

Dame  fu  bele  et  sage,  plaisans  et  simple  et  gaie,  A  son  tans 
ne  fu  mieudre,  blonde,  brune  ne  baie ;  Je  n'ier  ja  en  eel  point, 
pour  mesaise  que  j'aie,  Se  de  li  oi  parler,  que  mes  cuers  ne 
s'apaie.  B.  Comm.  43. 

Enfans  ot,  mais  ne  sai  pas  quans ;  Mais  bien  sai  que  a  celui 
tans  Ot  en  Espaigne  une  pucele  Qui  avoit  non  done  Ynabele. 
Cleom.  102. 

.lii.    iours    cheuauchent    par   le   boz     Et   au   quart  iour 

issirent  fors.     Rich.  3788. 

Tout  a  ce  point  ainsi  m'avint  Qu'avec  moi  li  diex 
d' Amours  vint,  Qui  de  la  mort  me  respita ;  Pant.  725. 

Quant  li  varies  Poi,  Dieu  prist  a  reclamer     De  Pevur  qu'il 

11  fist  a  celle  eure  encontrer,     Car  il  n'eiist  peii  ja  si  tost 
retorner     A  Butor  son  seigneur  que  tant  devoit  amer. 

Brun,  202. 


The  Preposition  A.  17 


Proper  Names  of  Epochs. 

Epochs,  like  places,  were  personified  with  a  name. 
Special  hours  were  recognized,  and  called  midday, 
midnight,  first,  second,  third,  etc.  Days  were  set  apart 
as  sacred  to  certain  gods,  and  received  their  names; 
months  finally,  and  even  years  and  centuries  get 
proper  names  and  drop  their  article. 

The  following  will  show  the  use  of  the  preposition 
a  with  proper  names  of  epochs  : 

Quant  cascuns  iert  &  sun  meillur  repaire,  Carles  serat  ad  Ais, 
.a  sa  capele  ;  A  seint  Michiel  tiendrat  mult  halte  feste. 

Rol.  53. 

Li  rois  le  don  li  otroia  Et  par  son  reanrae  anvea  Toz  les 
rois  et  les  contes  querre,  Ceus  qui  de  lui  tenoient  terre;  Que 
nul  tant  hardi  n'i  eiist  Qu'a  la  pantecoste  ne  fust. 

Erec,  1928. 

Al  demain,  si  cum  il  soleit,  Leva  li  prestre  e  ala  dreit 
El  cimetire  e  a  veil  Un  enfant  qui  getez  i  fu.  Esp.  2217. 

Quant  cil  prince  s'aprestent  Et  lour  conpaignons  vestent 
A  pasque  o  a  noel,  Apr£s  eus  vienent  tant  Escuier  et 
serjant  Qui  vuelent  autretel.  Qui  cuir  voit  taillier,  corroie 
demande,  ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  126. 

Sire,  fait  Aucassins,  grans  mercis  !  Si  ferai  jou.  II  s'enble 
de  la  sale  s'avale  les  degres  si  vient  en  Testable  ou  ses  cevaus 
€stoit.  II  fait  metre  le  sele  et  le  frain,  il  met  pie  en  estrier  si 
monte  et  ist  del  castel,  et  erra  tant  qu'il  vint  a  le  forest  et 
cevauca  tant  qu'il  vint  a  le  fontaine  et  trove  les  pastoriax  an 
point  de  none,  s'avoient  une  cape  estendue  sor  Perbe  si 
mangoient  lor  pain  et  faisoient  mout  tresgrant  joie. 

Auc.  20,  31. 
2 


18  The  Preposition  A. 

"Par  celle  foi  que  tu  dois  deu  porter,  Veiz  tu  home  qui  me 
puist  resambler?"  Dist  li  paumiers:  "laissiez  moi  porpanser. 
Oie,"  dist  il,  "or  m'en  sui  ramenbrez ;  Je  fui  a  Sine  a  pasques 
en  este,  II  n'a  tel  ville  en  la  crestiente,  Devant  moi  vint  uns 
Frans  si  conraez,  Amis  a  non,  si  est  de  Clermont  nes  Et  quiert 
Amile,  bien  a  II  ans  passez."  Am.  Am.  97. 

Bien  aues  oi  dire  et  as  uns  et  as  autres  Que  .xiiii.  ans  estut 
Elies  el  boscage,  Courechous  et  dolans  et  poures  et  malades ; 
Qu'il  ne  pooit  leuer  a  Noel  ne  as  IPasques,  Al  ior  de 
Pentecouste  ne  as  festes  plus  hautes,  N'onques  ne  pot  uestir 
ne  cemise  ne  braies.  Aiol,  81,  82. 

Vn  iour  a  les  baillius  mandes  Et  ses  clers  dont  il  ot  asses; 
Et  quant  il  deuant  lui  les  uit,  Tost  lor  a  commande  et  dit, 
Ke  par  tout  laissaissent  sauoir  A  tous  ceus  ki  sous  son  pooir 
Tenoient  fief  ne  seignourie  De  lui,  k'il  ne  laissaissent  mie 
K'a  JPentecouste  ne  uenissent  A  Cardueil  et  se  li  tenissent 
Compaignie.  Ki  n'i  uenroit,  De  uoir  seust  k'il  fourferoit  Tout 
sans  pardon  et  sans  pitie  L'amour  de  lui  et  tout  son  fie. 

Ch.  II.,  esp.  45. 

E  il  vendra  si  sodement  Certes,  que  nus  ne  savum  quant,, 
Au  matin  ou  au  coc  chantant  Ou  a  mienuit  ou  al  seir  : 

Guil.  B.  D.  51. 

Ceste  foire  son  paiemant    Aura  au  iour  dou  iugemant? 

Quant  dex  les  mauais  punira     Et  les  bons  reguierdonera. 

Lyon.  Ys.  924. 

Des  angles  est  portez  eu  ciel  li  esperitz,  Purs  e  esmirables  cum 
cristals  politz,  Eaant  cum  solailz  ki  flamboie  a  midiz; 

S.  Aub.  902. 

A  un  noel  troevent  le  roy  Et  tous  ses  barons  avoec  soi,. 
Ou  il  tenoit  grant  court  pleniere.  Manek.  279. 

A  une  Pentecouste  i  ot  fait  assembler  Dames  et  chevaliers 
kanc'on  en  pot  trouver,  Car  andeus  ses  neveus  i  vuelt  armea 
donner,  Gerart  et  Guielin,  qui  moult  font  a  loer;  Pour  lor 
amour  en  fist  cent  autres  adouber.  B.  Comm.  57. 


The  Preposition  A.  19 

A  I'endemain,  quant  li  aube  creva,  Rois  Karahues  sor 
son  cheval  rnonta,  II  et  li  sien  se  partirent  de  la,  A  grant 
plent6  de  gent  les  convoia  Ogiers  et  Namles,  tant  que  raisons 
porta.  Enf.  Og.  4630. 

Puis  crie :  "  Saint  Sepulcre,  Sarrazin  fel  et  ort,  Au  jour 
d'ui  paieres  un  dolereus  escot !"  Bast.  310. 

Seigneurs,  ou  moys  d'avril  que  li  bois  sont  fuelli,  Violetes 
partout  espanissent  ausi,  Et  que  point  la  verde  herbe  et  li  pre 
sont  foilli,  A  celui  temps  avint,  tout  droit  a  .j.  juedi,  Qu'il 
estoit  .j.  haus  horn  et  d'estat  seignori,  Sire  de  la  Montaigne,  ainsi 
nomer  Poi ;  Bran,  29. 

B. 

INTERMEDIARY  CONSTRUCTIONS. 
THE  IDEA  OF  PLACE,  SUBOKDINATE. 

Space  is  a  relative  idea  that  springs  into  thought- 
existence  at  the  suggestion  of  an  infinity;  that  is, 
space  is  as  much  of  infinity  as  we  can  measure. 
And  just  as  all  space  must  be  located  in  attaching 
it  to  infinity,  so  space- divisions  depend  on  an  implied 
zone  which  re-divides  space,  as  the  zone  of  space 
did  that  of  infinity. 

An  angel  passes  the  whole  night  at  Charlemagne's 
head :  here  the  zone  of  the  angel's  watching  is 
marked  off  by  a  man's  body;  and  on  this  scale  of 
measurement,  the  head  is  a  degree.  So  too  if  the 
soldiers  camp  in  the  plain,  it  is  because  they  have 
come  clown  from  the  mountain;  or  if  the  birds  fly 
in  the  air,  it  is  because  there  are  beasts  of  the 
earth  and  of  the  water, — a  measure  of  three  scales. 
So  too  when  Nicolete  looks  out  at  her  stone-girded 
window,  or  Guenelon  is  hanged  at  Aix,  the  actions 
are  represented  as  taking  place  at  certain  scales  in 


20  The  Preposition  A. 

the    measurement    of   the    two    respective    zones:    a 
prison-house,  and  France. 

This  is  the  basis  of  space-division,  and  the  use 
here  of  the  preposition  #,  I  have  called  its  basic 
construction.  Here  the  divisions  of  space  are  marked 
off  mathematically  by  names  of  fixed  places,  by 
relations  that  are  invariable  among  themselves. 

Thought,  however,  needed  a  wider  range  for  its 
complete  expression  of  the  different  conceptions  of 
space.  Fixed  names  could  not  be  invented  for  divi- 
sions of  space  that  were  of  a  shifting  nature,  and 
language  must  need  find  some  other  differentiating 
means.  Thus,  there  are  space-divisions  that  are 
characterized  by  the  presence  of  an  aught.  We  wish, 
for  instance,  that  some  one  were  au  diable ;  and  by 
this,  we  mean:  we  wish  that  some  one  were  in  that 
place  which  is  characterized  by  the  presence  of  the 
devil;  namely,  hell.  Li  vilains  used  freely  this 
method  of  dividing  space.  To  animals  he  ascribes 
a  position  equal  almost  to  his  own :  he  grants  them 
speech,  and  gives  them  rulers  and  laws.  His  sphere 
and  that  of  animals  are,  as  it  were,  two  juxta-posed 
kingdoms.  'Homes '  is  where  men  live  and  move 
and  have  their  being;  lbestes,'  where  the  wily  fox, 
the  slothful  sheep  or  cruel  raven,  moulds  circum- 
stances. A  man  comes  to  '  bestes '  and  notes  with 
amazement,  there,  the  curious  happenings,  much  as 
if  he  were  a  tourist.  Or  an  animal  endeavors  in 
his  kingdom  to  bring  about  reforms  that  '  il  a  apris 
a  homes1  (not  from  men,  but  among  them).  Plants, 
too,  come  in  for  their  division  of  space ;  and  li  vilains 
goes  or  comes  to  '  herbes '  and  in  this  sighing  kingdom, 
he  asks  advice  of  the  members,  in  regard  to  their 
medicinal  or  other  properties. 


The  Preposition  A.  21 

There  are  also  variable  divisions  of  space  that 
are  characterized  by  an  action ;  as,  the  c  going  out ' 
and  'coming  in'  for  instance.  Here,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  characterizing  aught,  there  is  no  fixed  quantity 
to  aid  in  bringing  about  a  mathematical  division. 
We  have  only  the  indefinite  idea  of  a  '  going '  or 
'  coming '  which  corresponds  as  it  were  to  an  infinity ; 
and  a  less  indefinite  idea  of  an  '  exit '  or  '  entrance/ 
Language,  however,  did  not  hesitate  to  seize  upon 
these  indefinite  space-names  of  a  characterizing  action 
and  substitute  them  for  definite  space-names;  just 
as  in  the  case  of  the  characterizing  aught,  the  generic 
name  was  used  to  express  the  place  frequented  by 
this  class.  Thus,  the  defeat  of  Roland  and  the  twelve 
peers  of  France  took  place  at  their  exit  from  Spain 
as  well  as  at  the  gates  of  Spain ;  a  statue  too  can 
be  placed  at  the  beginning  of  a  street  as  well  as  at 
the  head  of  a  street. 

Here,  then,  in  these  intermediary  constructions, 
between  the  pure  expression  of  situation  in  space 
and  the  expression  of  intensity,  modality  and  appur- 
tenance, we  will  study  the  use  of  the  preposition  a : 

1)  In  expressions  where  space-division  is  brought 
about  by  a  characterizing  aught. 

2)  In  expressions  where  space-division  is  brought 
about  by  a  characterizing  action. 

1. 

The  preposition  a  in  expressions  where  space-division 
is  brought  about  by  a  characterizing  aught. 

Desor  la  terre  ne  1'povrent  mais  tenir :  Voilent  ou  non  si 
1'laissent  enfodir,  Prenent  congiet  al  cors  saint  Alexis :  E 
si  li  preient  que  d'els  aiet  raercit ;  Al  son  seinor  il  lor  seit 
bons  plaidiz.  Alex.  120e. 


22  The  Preposition  X. 

Et  truit  li  Grejois  remes  furent  El  tref  la  reine  as  puceles, 
Mout  parolent  li  doze  a  eles ;  Meis  Alixandres  mot  ne  diet. 

Cliges,  1373. 

Biax  sire  Dix !  quel  deus  sera  Se  Bruns  remaint  a  cex 
de  la.  Nel  garira  tous  Tors  del  monde  Que  li  fel  provos 
nel  confonde.  Or  le  gart  Dix,  li  fix  Marie,  Qui  mainte  gent 
ara  garie.  Ille,  583. 

De  la  cort  le  roi  Artu  sui,  Bien  ai  este  trois  anz  a  lui* 
Je  ne  sai  s'an  ceste  contree  Vint  onques  nule  renomee  Ne  de 
mon  pere  ne  de  moi ;  Erec,  654. 

Vus  vei'stes  tuz  les  turmenz  As  chaitis  qui  furent  dedenz : 
Tels  as  greignurs,  tels  as  menurs,  Solunc  les  oevres  des 
plusurs.  Esp.  1732-3. 

Princes  qui  doit  valoir,  Qui  met  en  nonchaloir  Et  son  ome 
et  son  oste,  Si  voisin  le  traissent,  Maintenant  Penvaissent 
Et  de  riere  et  d'encoste.  A  mol  pastonr  lous  chie  laine,  ce 
dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  26. 

Einsi  sont  acorde  briemant.  Et  la  dame  ot  son  parlemant 
Devant  tenu  a  ses  barons  Et  dit :  De  ci  nos  an  irons 
An  cele  sale,  etc.  Yvain,  2039. 

Fix,  fait  li  peres,  ce  ne  poroit  estre.  Nicolete  laise  ester ;  que 
ce  est  une  caitive  qui  fu  amenee  d'estrange  terre,  si  Facata  li 
visquens  de  ceste  vile  as  Sarasivis  si  1'amena  en  ceste  vile, 
si  Pa  levee  et  bautisie  et  faite  sa  fillole,  si  li  donra  un  de  ces  jors 
un  baceler  qui  du  pain  li  gaaignera  par  honor.  Auc.  2,  30. 

D'un  Lairon  cunte  qui  ala  Berbiz  embler,  que  il  espia 
Dedenz  la  faude  a  un  Vilain;  Ensanle  od  li  porta  un  pain, 
Au  chien  voleit  ce  pain  baillier,  Qui  la  faude  deveit  gueitier. 

Fab.  xxvni.  3. 

La  gentiz  damme  a  le  conte  apelle.  "Sire,"  fait  elle,  "bien  sai 
que  vos  pansez.  Or  voldriez  iestre  a  Paris  la  cite,  Au  conte 
Amile  le  glouton  parjure,  La  fille  Karle  baisier  et  acoler  Dont 
li  miens  cors  est  cheuz  en  vilte.  Males  nouvelles  m'en  pusse  Pon 
conter,  A  mal  putaige  soit  li  siens  cors  livrez  ! " 

Am.  Am.  884. 


The  Preposition  A.  23 

Ilh  eissit  de  Fenclostre,  ses  vestimenz  canjat,  D'orguilhos  dras 
del  secle  son  cors  aparilhat,  Son  palefroit  amblant  coinntement 
acemmat,  Vint  a  Posteil  la  dame,  deleiz  li  s'ajostat.  Ne  s'i 
travilhat  guaires,  tost  s'i  pot  acointier,  Car  il  faisoit  semblant 
k'a  H  volsist  pechir.  En  la  chambre  Fen  mainet  cant  ele  ot  son 
lowir :  Lowiers  at  fait  mainte  anrme  en  enfer  trebuchir. 

Poeme  mor.  145  b. 

"  Cheualiers,  fustes  uous  au  roi  ?  Saues  uous,  s'il  tenra  de 
moi  Sa  tere  et  me  fera  homage  Et  fesistes  uous  le  message  De 
sa  barbe  auoir  ?  "  "  Oil,  sire,  etc."  Ch.  II.  esp.  365. 

Lo  queil  soi  siwant  menat  a  Pentreie  del  cortil,  et  les  iotes  cui 
cil  desiroit  par  larrecin  en  uoies  porteir,  donat  a  lui  od  grande 
dulzor  disanz :  Va  t'en,  et  ci  apres  ne  faces  mie  larrecin ;  mais 
cant  tu  as  mestier,  dunkes  entre  za  a  moi,  et  les  iotes  cui  tu 
trauilhoies  a  pechiet  tolir,  ge  les  donrai  a  toi  denotement. 

Dial.  Gr.  16,  15. 

Alez,  malveis  !  alez,  alez,  Vus  maldiz,  vus  maleurez,  Qui 
unques  ne  me  herbergastes  Ne  a  mangier  ne  me  donastes, 
Qui  onques  bien  ne  me  feistes,  Quant  nu  e  povre  me  veistes : 
Alez  languir  el  feu  durable,  Qui  est  as  angles  au  diable 
Aparaille  sanz  finement  Des  le  premier  comencement. 

Guil.  B.  D.  398. 

Aprenneiz  a  mi  ke  ie  suys  sueys  et  humles  de  cuer.  En  cez 
paroles  poons  aperzoiure  dous  humiliteiz.  L'une  de  conessance ; 
Patre  d 'affection  cui  il  ci  apelet  de  cuer.  Li  primiere  est  quant 
nos  conessons  ke  nos  uns  nianz  sommes.  Et  cestei  humiliteit 
aprennons  nos  a  nos  meismes  et  per  nostre  propre  enfermeteit. 
Li  seconde  est  per  kai  nos  forchachons  la  glore  del  munde.  Et 
cestei  aprennons  nos  de  luy.  Car  il  humiliat  luy  meismes  et  si 
prist  la  forme  del  serf.  Ki  s'en  fuit  quant  om  lo  quist  por  estre 
roi.  Et  ki  de  son  espoine  greit  soffrit  a  tanz  laiz  et  a  tanz 
reproches  et  a  si  hontols  torment  cum  lo  torment  de  la  croix. 

Sr.  S.  Bern.  17,  25  and  29. 

Ie  le  uos  pri,  les  grans  et  les  petis,  Departes  uos,  si  requeres 
uos  nis,  A  uos  femeles  demenes  uos  delis,  la  en  poi  d'ore 
estera  miedis.  Venus,  25  c. 


24  The  Preposition  A. 

Entre  les  seintz  martirs  fluriz  e  curune  Of  ses  eslitz  Pacoilt  li 
Deus  de  majesty  E  en  la  mesnee  Auban  est  atitle,  Le  regne  a 
recever  ki  ja  n'ert  termini.  E  li  las  dolentz  ki  Pa  martirize",  ED 
la  prisun  est  tuz  jurs  au  maufe,  Sanz  rai^un  u  rescusse  retenu 
e  damne.  S.  Aub.  1023. 

Vous  avez  bien  oye  Pochoison,  Pourquoi  Ogiers  fu  raenez  en 
prison  A  Saint  Omer  au  chastelain  Huon  ;  Trois  ans  i  fu^ 
vraiement  le  set  on.  Enf.  Og.  264. 

Lors  se  feri  Marcadigas  Si  anemis  ou  plus  grant  tas.  Moult 
durement  les  assailloit;  Car  de  tres  grant  vaillance  estoit  Et  de 
tres  grant  apenseraent.  Souvent  avoit  1'ueill  a  sa  gent.  Quant 
aucun  en  veoit  retraire,  Ne  vous  sarois  je  pas  retraire  Comment 
les  savoit  ravoiier  Et  a  droit  d'armes  ensaigner.  Cleom.  874. 

Li  raisons  en  donne  a  entendre  C'on  use  cha  jus  de  trois  lois, 
Dont  es  deus  gist  mout  d'iestrelois :  Li  sarrasin  en  tienent  Fune, 
S'aourent  Mahon  et  le  lune ;  Et  li  jiiis  ont  le  seconde.  Drois  est 
que  le  tierche  desponde :  Chou  est  li  lois  as  crestiens,  De 
coi  li  rois  chelestiens  Nous  a  par  rechevoir  baptesme  Et  par  le 
saint  prechi'eus  cresme  Oste"  des  mains  as  anemis ; 

Vr.  An.  289. 

.Xx.  ans  ia  ensamble  este  orent,  C'onques  enfant  auoir  ne  porent. 
La  dame  en  estoit  mout  dolente,  Car  mout  estoit  et  bielle  et  gente. 
Et  li  sirez  si  fort  1'amoit  Que  ia  dame  adiez  Papieloit.  Mais 
tant  firent  andoi  priiere  A  dieu  et  au  baron  saint  Piere  Que  li 
rois  si  iut  a  safemme  Qui  la  fache  ot  clere  con  gemme,  Qu'il 
engenrra  une  puchielle,  Ains  hons  de  char  ne  uit  tant  bielle. 

Rich.  85. 

Bauduins  de  Sebourc,  et  si  bastart  meschin,  Aprocha  le  chite  as 
bailies  de  sapin ;  Illoeques  s'assambla  auprinche  Corsabrin* 

Bast.  236. 

Sire,  dit  li  varies,  pour  quov  vous  mantiroie  ?  Quant  courtoissie 
ai  pris,  se  je  ne  m'en  louoie  J'en  vauroie  trop  mainz  et  a  vous 
Pembleroie.  Brun,  325. 


The  Preposition  A.  25 

— A  characterizing  aught  in  temporal  space. 

That  epochs  should  be  colored  so  strongly  by  the 
presence  of  an  aught  that  the  mere  mentioning  of 
the  name  of  the  aught  evoke  the  epoch,  is  perfectly 
natural ;  language,  however,  has  labored  under  diffi- 
culties in  regard  to,  this  construction :  difficulties 
arising  from  what  the  reader  must  have  already 
remarked  here  before ;  namely,  the  ease  with  which 
space  and  time  can  be  confused.  If  we  say,  for 
instance,  "They  did  that  at  Rome"  at  Rome  can  be 
construed  as  representing  either  a  local  or  temporal 
idea.  The  meaning  can  be  either :  "  In  Rome,  not 
elsewhere  in  the  world  at  that  time,  not  at  Carthage, 
for  instance,  they  did  that ; "  or,  "At  the  time  when 
Rome  was  the  absorbing  name  of  locality  for  the 
world,  they  did  that — gladiators  fought  among  them- 
selves and  with  beasts,  for  instance." 

And  so  it  happens  that  unfettered  language  always 
uses  a  temporal  reinforcement  in  such  phrases  where 
the  idea  of  time  is  intended;  as,  at  the  time  of  Rome, 
or  in  the  days  of  the  Romans,  etc.  Rhythm,  how- 
ever, taxes  language  to  its  utmost:  all  of  its  latent 
capabilities  and  furthest  possibilities  are  brought  out 
and  made  to  serve  their  turn  by  this  ruthless  master  ; 
and  this  it  is  that  keeps  out  decay  and  makes  of 
language  a  living  thing. 

Thus  we  have  in  Alexis,  1 : 

Bons  fat  li  siecles  dl  tens  dificieifiOT9  Quer  feit  i  ert  e  justise 
et  amor,  Si  ert  credance,  dont  or  n'i  at  nul  prot :  Tot  est  mudez, 
perdude  at  sa  color ;  Ja  mais  n'iert  tels  com  fut  as  anceisors. 

In    the    first    verse    we    have   '  at    the    time   of  the 
ancients ; '  in  the  last,  the  poet  calls  upon  the  Ian- 


26  The  Preposition  A. 

guage  for  all  its  force  and  says  simply :  i  at  (with) 
the  fathers.'  Here  the  article  in  as  cannot  be  the 
determinating  article,  inasmuch  as  it  is  in  the  plural 
and  hence  can  have  no  relation  to  tels.  In  the  second 
strophe  too  of  the  same  poem  we  find  : 

Al  tens  Noe  et  al  tens  Abraham,     Et  al  David  etc., 

Where  Prof.  Paris,  in  the  second  verse,  has  seen 
fit  to  write  *  al  David,'  understanding  the  article 
here  as  the  determinating  article,  which  would  read 
in  English :  'At  the  time  of  Noah  and  at  the  time 
of  Abraham,  And  at  that  of  David,  etc.'  That  this 
is  the  meaning  of  the  verse  is  improbable;  that 
Prof.  Paris  has  chosen  the  right  reading  is  open  to 
question.  As  to  the  reading :  the  MS.  S.  offers  the 
reading  <  a  Davi,'  and  even  if  this  MS.  be  not  so 
reliable  as  those  with  al,  it  should  be  remarked  that 
the  '  a  Dayid '  comes  immediately  below  an  '  al  tens' 
and  after  a  series  of  the  same  syntactical  sequence, 
which  could  easily  have  influenced  the  introduction 
of  the  article.  Supposing  however  that  the  form 
edited  is  authentic,  even  then  it  is  by  no  means 
necessary  to  understand  the  article  here  as  of  a 
determinating  character.  First,  the  same  construc- 
tion in  the  foregoing  strophe,  where  the  article  of 
4  as  anceisors '  can  not  be  read  as  determinating, 
militates  against  this  view.  And  then  it  must  be 
remembered,  too,  that  the  casus  obliquus  in  Old  French 
is  a  grammatical  institution,  not  a  linguistic  senti- 
ment. The  casus  obliquus  of  Old  French,  even  when 
the  article  is  interposed,  was  felt  as  an  adjective 
construction,  much  as  compound  words  are  felt  in 
English  and  German  to-day.  'Al  tens  Abraham' 
was  then  felt  as  *  in  the  Abraham-time ; '  that  Abraham 


The  Preposition  1.  27 

is  found  placed  after  tens  is  explained  when  we 
remember  that  this  is  the  ordinary  position  of  the 
attributive  modifier  in  French.  Now  then,  supposing 
always  that  the  article  with  '  a  David '  is  authentic, 
the  thought  would  run  in  English :  'At  the  Noah-time 
and  at  the  Abraham-time  And  at  the  David, — whom 
G-od  loved  so  much ; '  here  the  omission  becomes 
clear,  and  especially  so  in  view  of  the  fact  that  if 
tens  were  there,  it  might  be  confused  grammatically 
with  the  logical  object  of  God's  loving.  Finally,  it 
seems  to  me  that  the  question  might  almost  be 
asked  whether  indeed  the  French  language  has  or 
ever  has  had  a  determinating  article. 

It  certainly  has  not  taken  root  in  French  as  it 
has  in  other  of  the  Romance  tongues,  as  in  Spanish, 
for  instance.  And  as  to  the  isolated  examples  that 
are  held  by  grammarians  to  exist  in  French,  it  is 
possible  that  science  has  been  too  scientific  in  ex- 
plaining them  as  such.  Even  the  feminine  article 
of  the  fete  days  which  Prof.  Tobler  was  the  first,1 
I  believe,  to  call  a  determinating  article,  is  per- 
haps nothing  more  than  the  relic  of  a  simply  time- 
worn-down  la  fete, — much  as  adouber  a  chevalier  could 
be  considered  as  worn  down  from  adouber  a  loi 
chevalier. 

Another  use  of  the  characterizing  aught  in  temporal 
space,  and  one  too,  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the 
discussion  of  the  real  meaning  of  the  verses  cited 
above  from  the  Alexis,  is  where  an  aught  character- 
izes a  time,  but  only  at  certain  intervals  which  are 
set  forth  in  language  by  means  of  an  attributive 

1  Notes  from  Prof.  Tobler's  lectures  on  Historical  Syntax,  as  far  back  as  1886, 
expose  this  view. 


.28  The  Preposition  A. 

modifier.     Thus,  we  find  in  Old  French  expressions 
like: 

E  il  vendra  si  sodement  Certes,  que  nus  ne  savum  quant,  An 
matin  ou  au  coc  chantant  Ou  a  mienuit  ou  al  seir.1 

Or: 

Guardent  aval  vers  la  marine ;  La  nef  virent  al  flot  mun- 
tant, Qui  el  hafne  veneit  siglant ;  Ne  veient  rien  qui  la 
cunduie.2 

Or: 

Apres  I'aube  aparant  luisoit  la  lune  clere.3 

Here,  the  chantant,  muntant,  etc.,  can  not  be  taken 
as  a  verb,  a  participle,  and  coc,  flot,  etc.,  understood 
as  a  casus  olliquus  depending  thereon ;  this  would 
be  an  easy  way  to  solve  the  construction,  but  the 
difficulty  cannot  be  got  rid  of  in  this  way.  Chantant, 
muntant,  etc.,  are  adjectives,  and  this  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  their  logical  importance  is  subordinate 
to  that  of  the  accompanying  substantive.  The  prime 
idea  in  the  expression,  the  one  that  gives  color  to 
the  whole,  is  cock,  tide.  We  rise  for  instance  with 
the  cock  or  the  lark;  the  boat  comes  in  with  the 
tide;  not  with  the  'crowing,'  the  '  singing,'  or  the 
1  coming  in'  respectively.  That  is,  if  the  forms  in 
question  are  participles,  they  must  be  interpreted 
participially  in  giving  them  the  sense  of  continued 
action  that  a  present  participle  always  has;  as,  in 
S.  Aub.,  1185,  for  instance,  where  it  reads: 

"  Veez  ci  la  croit  Auban,  ke  il  au  muriant  Teinst  en  sun 
sane  demeine  de  sun  cors  esculant."  = 

1  here  is  Auban's  cross  that  he,  while  dying,  held  in 
his  own  blood  a-flowing  from  his  body/  If,  now, 
we  give  this  participial  meaning  to  the  forms  in 

1  Guil.  B.  D.  50.  *  Lais.  Guig.  267.  3  Berte,  552 


The  Preposition  1.  29 

question,  we  are  at  once  at  a  distance  from  the 
logical  thought;  we  do  not  rise  while  a  cock  is  crow- 
ing, but  when  (which  latter  with  the  meaning  '  at  the 
moment  of,'  cannot  be  expressed  by  any  verb-form, 
since  the  idea  of  action  excludes  the  idea  of  a  point 
in  time)  the  cock  crows.  The  preposition  a  with 
the  so-called  infinitive  can  express  this  'when,'  but 
we  have  then  a  real  substantive  before  us;  nor  is 
the  Lord,  apprehended  by  Gruillaume  le  Clerc,  to 
make  his  appearance  heralded  by  cocks  that  crow,  but 
rather  at  that  moment,  more  so,  than  any  other  moment; 
characterized  by  the  cock,  namely  when  he  crows. 

The  construction  under  discussion  is  rare,  being, 
as  I  remarked  above,  one  of  those  cases  where  a 
possibility  of  language  is  utilized  to  satisfy  the 
requirements  of  speech. 

2. 

The  preposition  a  in  expressions  where  space- 
division  is  brought  about  by  a  characterizing 
action. 

Quant  cascuns  iert  a  sun  meillur  repaire,    Carles  serat 
ad  Ais,  a  sa  capele ;     A  seint  Michiel  tiendrat  mult  halte  feste. 

Eol.  51. 

A  celjugement  O  tant  avrat  gent  Serum  assemble,  La  charn 
tote  nue;  Ja  nen  iert  vestue,  Car  nu  fumes  ne.     Reimpr.  112. 

Quant  cil  voient  qu'il  sont  forclos,     Si  se  remainnent  a  repos, 
Car  par  assaut,  ce  voient  bien,     N'i  porroient  forfeire  rien. 

Cliges  2006. 

Tables  et  napes,  pains  et  vins     Tost  fu  aparelliez  et  mis,     Si 
se  sont  au  soper  assis.     Erec  498. 

Si  cum  li  chaitif  en  turment     Sunt  travailli6  plus  lungement 
Pur  les  granz  pechiez  que  il  firent,     Tant  cum  il  el  siecle  vesqui- 


30  The  Preposition  A. 

rent,  Si  sunt  li  altre  meins  pene  Qui  meins  firent  d'iniquite" ; — 
Si  est  de  nus  qui  sumes  ci :  Solunc  90  qu'avum  deservi,  Devuns 
ici  plus  demurer,  Einz  a  greignur  joie  munter ;  Que  tut  serruns 
nus  delivre  De  tutes  peines  e  salve.  Ne  poiins  nus  mie  uncore 
estre  A  la  grant  leesce  celestre.  Esp.  1784. 

J'ai  6i  corroucier  Maint  ome  et  manecier  Autrui  pour  son 
contraire ;  Mais  tout  ce  reraanoit,  Ja  soit  ce  qu'il  senbloit  Qu'il 
en  vousist  plus  faire.  A  petite  pluie  chiet  granz  venz,  ce  dit 
li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  67. 

Quant  je  le  vi  tot  seul  venant,  Mon  cheval  restrains  maintenant 
Wau  monter  demore  ne  fis;  Et  cil  come  mautalantis  Vint 
plus  tost  qu'uns  alerions,  Fiers  par  sanblaut  come  lions,  Et  si 
haut  com  il  pot  crier  Me  comanga  a  desfier.  Yvain,  485. 

A  Veissue  de  la  cite"  N'ot  pas  demie  liwe  ale,  Quant  ele  01  les 
seins  suner  E  le  doel  el  chastel  lever  Pur  lur  seignur  qui  se  nioreit. 

Lais,  Yon.  447. 

Mais  en  infer  voil  jou  aler ;  car  en  infer  vont  li  bel  clerc,  et  li  bel 
cevalier  qui  sont  mort  as  tornois  et  as  rices  gueres,  et  li 
boin  sergant  et  li  franc  home.  Aveuc  ciax  voil  jou  aler. 

Auc.  6,  34. 

Au  finement  de  cest  escrit,  K'en  Romanz  ai  turne"  et  dit, 
Me  numeral  par  remembraunce ;  Marie  ai  num,  si  sui  de  Fraunce. 

Fab.  Concl.  1. 

Se  vient  Hardrez  li  fel,  qu'il  m'en  encust,     A  la  bataille 

serommez  moi  et  lui,  Coperai  lui  le  chief  de  sor  le  bu  Voir  n'en 
estordra  mie.  Am.  Am.  1036. 

AI  mangier  sont  assis  sans  plus  de  demorer,  Asses  ont 
uenison  de  cerf  et  de  seingler.  Aiol,  1763. 

Quant  Moyses  fut  faiz  des  larrons  li  princiers,  AI  tolir,  al 
tueir  fut  toz  jors  li  premiers,  Car  del  cors  eret  fors  et  des 
membres  legiers.  Or  oiez  deablie  ke  fist  li  aversiers : 

Poeme  mor.  31  b. 

Vu  ior  ot  aw  digner  li  rois  Mangie  et  sist  encore  au  dois, 
Car  sa  coustume  estoit  iteus ;  Ch.  II.  esp.  1887. 


The  Preposition  A.  31 

Elleuos  ie  toi  siurai,  quant  ge  aurai  Poeure  emplie,  car  un  poi  i 
remaint.  Mais  icil  luliens  li  defenderes  ki  astoit  enuoiez,  il  soi 
merueilhieuet  durement  queiz  chose  ce  astoit  ke  ses  serianz  demo- 
reuet  a  repairier :  quant  elleuos  il  uoit  retornant  son  seriant, 
en  son  col  foin  del  preit  aportant.  Dial.  Gr.  22,  14. 

Au  passer  de  un  pund  u  li  flotz  fu  bruant,  Sunt  chaeth  e 
peritz  chevalers  e  sergantz ;  Quant  Auban  ad  90  veil,  s'a  dit  en 
suspirant : — '  Deus,  ki  horn  furmer  deignas  &  tun  semblant,  Cel 
mal  kar  restorez  ! ?  es-le-vus  relevant  E  le  flot  tut  secchi,  dunt  cist 
vunt  Deu  loant,  S.  Aub.  1153. 

Al  mangier  seoit  la  dansele.     Manek.  299. 
Kenaus  de  Montarmier  et  Navari  le  ber     Et  maint  autre  grant 
prince  furent  a  Vadestrer ;    B.  Comm.  67. 

Un  petitet  ont  leur  voie  eschive"e,  Droit  a  I'entree  d'une 
forest  ram^e  Sont  areste"  assez  pres  d'une  pree.  Enf.  Og.  146. 

De  ce  ne  se  veut  plus  targier  Que  chevaliers  ne  soit  sans  faille; 
Car  estre  veut  a  la  bataille:  Ce  ne  lairoit  pour  tout  Favoir 
C'on  li  porroit  ramentevoir.  Cleom.  468. 

De  dampnement  sont  raviestu  Tout  chil  ki  en  sont  enyvre"; 
Au  jugement  seront  ire",  Li  plus  gais  sera  amiiis. 

Vr.  An.  308. 

Li  rois  en  uot  aler  .i.  iour,  Que  plus  ne  uot  iestre  a  seiour ; 
Aler  en  uot  a  sonc  sa  terre  V  doi  conte  faisoient  guerre. 

Kich.  214. 

Ainsi  qu'en  eel  penser  estoie,  Un  po  regardai  devers  destre; 
Ilec  une  beste  vi  nestre  A  I9 entree  d'une  valee  Qui  estoit 
d'orties  fermee,  De  ronces  et  de  fors  espines  :  Pant.  85. 

Si  tost  que  li  varies  a  veii  Fasemblee,  II  a  point  le  cheval  par 
telle  randonnee,  Que  li  chevaus  s'en  va  comme  beste  dervee  Si 
qu?il  ne  fist  c'un  saut  a  Vissir  de  la  pree.  Brun.  266. 

— A  characterizing  action  in  temporal  space. 

In  the  preceding  division  of  our  work,  we  have 
seen  how  one  may  be  '  at  the  killing,'  '  at  the  dinner/ 


32  The  Preposition  1. 

i  at  the  judgment,'  '  atf  the  battle,'  '  atf  the  entry,'  etc., 
etc. ;  that  is,  be  at  a  point  in  space  that  receives  a 
special  character  from  an  action  that  takes  place  at 
it.  Language  then  found  no  better  way  of  differenti- 
ating this  point  in  space  than  by  naming  it  with 
the  abstract  name  of  the  characterizing  action — this 
was  peculiarly  exact. 

In  time,  the  same  phenomenon  is  to  be  observed. 
Here  a  space  of  time,  rendered  conspicuous  by  an 
action,  is  cristalized  as  it  were  into  a  point,  and 
made  to  serve  as  a  dot  on  the  scale  of  general 
temporal  measurement. 

This  space  of  characterized  time  may  be  of  a 
definite  nature,  as  the  moment  taken  up  in  the 
enunciation  of.  a  word  (parole,  mot},  or  in  the  strik- 
ing of  a  blow  (coup] ,  or  of  a  much  longer  duration ; 
as,  4  to  have  two  children  at  one  pregnancy  (por- 
teure) ; '  or  it  may  be  of  an  abstract  indefiniteness ; 
as,  'the  time  when  one  will  return,  die,  meet,'  etc. 

The  role  of  the  preposition  a  in  these  expressions 
may  be  observed  in  the  following  examples  : 

"  Seignurs  baruns,  suef  pas  alez  tenant.  Cist  paien  vunt  grant 
martirie  querant ;  Encoi  avrum  un  eschec  bel  e  gent :  Nuls  reis 
de  France  n'out  unques  si  vaillant."  A  cez  paroles  vunt  les 
oz  ajustant.  Kol.  1169. 

Par  po  qu'Alixandres  n'anrage,  Quant  de  sa  jant  voit  tel 
domage,  Qui  si  est  morte  et  afeblie ;  Meis  au  vangier  pas 
ne  s'oblie:  Une  esparre  longue  et  pesant  A  lez  lui  trovee  an 
presant,  S'an  va  si  ferir  un  gloton,  Que  ne  li  valut  un  boton 
Ne  li  escuz  ne  li  haubers,  Qu'a  terre  ne  le  port  anvers. 

Cliges.  2042. 

Au  tierp  jor  droit  a  I'enserir    Vint  la  novele  a  Galeron. 

•Ille,  1722. 


The  Preposition  A.  33 

A  la  prise  del  cerf  eii^ois  Vint  que  nus  des  autres  li  rois, 
Le  blanc  cerf  ot  desfet  et  pris.  Erec,  279. 

Seignurs,  a  I'eissue  del  cors,  Quant  les  almes  s'en  issent 
fors,  Li  bon  angele  i  sunt  en  present ;  Li  raal  i  vienent  ensement. 

Esp.  49. 

Celui  tieng  je  pour  sot  Qui  au  premerain  mot  Son 
marchie*  prent  et  fait,  Et  celui  qui  s'amie,  Se  c'est  que  Pescondie, 
Au  premerain  mot  lait.  Au  premier  coup  ne  chiet  pas 
li  chaisnes,  ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  5. 

Et  je  li  donrai  au  retor     Quanqu'il  voudra  que  je  li  doingne. 

Yvain,  1840. 

E  il  e  el  s'en  sunt  huniz.  Nus  savum  bien  qu'il  i  afiert : 
Unques  ne  fu  ne  ja  nen  iert  Ne  n'avendra  cele  aventure,  Qu'« 
une  sule  porteure  Une  femme  dous  enfanz  ait,  Si  dui  hume 
ne  li  unt  fait.  Lais,  Fr.  40. 

Aucassins  ot  du  baisier    Qu'il  ara  au  repairier.     AUG.  9, 2. 

A-val  Paige  n'est  pas  alee  Cuntre  la  radur  est  turnee,  A  sa 
mort  ne  fist-ele  mie  Ce  que  ne  volt  faire  a  sa  vie. 

Fab.  xcvi.  49. 

Et  dist  li  rois  :  "  Ou  sont  dont  li  ostaige?  "  A  ieel  mot  plus 
de  soissante  en  sail  lent  Couzin  ou  frere,  tuit  furent  d'un  paraige. 

Am.  Am.  768. 

Et  ie  uous  en  dira  la  uerite :  Bien  brochies  le  destrier  par  les 
costes  Et  baisies  uostre  espiel,  si  le  branles,  Taut  con  ceuals 
pent  rendre,  uers  lui  uenes,  Grant  cop  sor  son  escu  se  li  dones, 
Que  lui  et  le  ceual  acrauentes,  Al  recerqier  des  rens 
souent  tomes,  Monioie  le  Karlon  haut  escries  Et  souent  et  menu 
grans  cos  feres  ;  Par  che  seres  cremus  et  redoutes,  Autretel  fist 
uos  peres  que  chi  uees.  Aiol,  300. 

L'emfant  qui  comence  son  plor,  De  dolur  vient,  en  dolur  entre. 
Se  il  fust  aupartir  del  ventre  Porte  maintenant  au  tunibel, 
Ceo  li  deust  estre  mult  biel.  Guil.  B.  D.  246. 

D'une  cose  fisent  grant  sens :     Laiens  ne  vaurrent  demourer, 
3 


34  The  Preposition  A. 

C'on  ne  les  oi'st  au  plourer,    Ains  sont  venu  en  un  vergier 
Ou  il  avoit  maint  biau  perier.     Jeh.  Bl.  1806. 

Ogier  son  fill  en  ostage  livra,    Mais  au  livrer  un  petit  lermoia. 

Enf.  Og.  220. 

Bien  vous  puis  dire  au  premier  mot  Que  nule  d'eles  teche 
n'ot  Qui  ne  fust  toute  de  bonte".  Cleom.  285. 

A  cui  c'on  le  fesist  touchier,  De  tous  maus  faisoit  adouchier ; 
Nis  au  mort;  quant  on  le  portoit  A  Faniel,  il  resuschitoit. 

Yr.  An.  53. 

La  vielle  li  dist  lors  belement  tire  a  tire  Que  droit  au  point 
dou  jour  couvient  qu'ele  s'atire  Et  que  moult  sagement  delez  le 
roi  se  vire.  Berte,  396. 

Car  quant  ce  uint  au  iour  nomine,  Que  li  .ix.  mois  furent  passe, 
Qu'enfanter  dut  ichelle  dame,  A  Venfanter  si  rendi  arne  Ne 
pot  plus  endurer  la  painne  Qu'elle  ot  soufierte  la  semainne,  Ains 
rendi  ame,  si  fu  morte.  Rich.  110. 

Au  retour  le  ferai  encruer  com  mastin.     Bast.  224. 

La  dame  en  delivra  .j.  jour  a  I'anuitier,  Et  quant  delivre 
en  fu  n'i  ot  que  esleescier.  Brun,  43. 


c. 

DEVELOPMENTS. 
THE  DISAPPEARANCE  OF  THE  IDEA  OF  PLACE. 

Because  prepositions  •  in  themselves  are  thought 
to  have  no  meaning,  because  they  seemingly  drift  at 
large,  taking  on  now  one  shade  of  thought-expression, 
then  another,  from  surrounding  verbs  and  nouns, 
grammarians  in  their  treatment  of  them,  have  con- 
sidered them  more  as  linguistic  comets  than  as 
living,  law-abiding  words. 


The  Preposition  A.  35 

In  summoning  up  the  prepositional  means  at  the 
disposal  of  its  language  in  order  that  it  may  choose 
for  expression,  what  test  does  thought  apply  which 
influences  the  choice  of  one  preposition  rather  than 
another?  Surely,  the  same  as  that  used  in  the 
choice  of  the  words  that  do  possess  an  intrinsic 
meaning;  that  is,  the  basic  meaning  of  the  word  is 
set  up  before  the  amplitude  of  the  thought,  and 
the  preposition  is  chosen  whose  capacity  fits. 

Now,  if  this  be  true,  that  the  preposition  a  has  a 
central,  basic,  nucleus  idea  that  decides  its  use,  how 
can  it  come  about  that  this  preposition  can  mean  to 
and  from,  and  with  and  against,  according  as  the 
school-grammars  tell  us?  The  same  word  cannot 
mean  white  and  black,  for  with  this,  language 
would  end. 

These  misleading  statements  made  by  grammarians 
in  regard  to  the  Old-French  a  are  suggested  by  two 
causes ;  first,  because,  as  we  have  already  noticed, 
the  prepositions,  and  especially  the  French  preposi- 
tion «,  is  regarded  as  a  lawless  phenomenon  capable 
of  appearing  clothed  in  any  and  all  significations; 
and  secondly,  because  the  chief  task  of  the  gram- 
marian of  Old  French  is  generally  the  paralleling 
of  the  language  either  with  Modern  French  or  with 
a  foreign  tongue — which  process,  it  must  be  admitted, 
is  for  the  moment  a  forced  necessity.  However,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  purpose  of  language 
is  to  picture  thought,  and  that  the  fundamental  law 
of  all  syntax  is,  if  we  find  a  construction  varying, 
in  the  case  of  the  same  word,  in  two  languages, 
or  in  two  epochs  of  the  same  language,  we  have 
here  sure  evidence  that  the  thought,  the  sentiment 
of  the  two  constructions  is  different. 


36  The  Preposition  A. 

Now,  then,  it  happens  that  certain  linguistic  senti- 
ments die  in  a  language,  or  are  present  in  one  but 
absent  in  another  tongue.  Under  what  enormous 
difficulties  does  the  work  of  paralleling  go  on  in 
these  cases, — not  only  words,  but  thought  must  be 
translated !  And  the  preposition  #, — whether  it  be 
that  it  represents  a  fundamental  sound  constantly 
repeated  in  verb-flexion  and  other  words  and  hence 
familiar  and  loved  by  the  people,  or  whether  it  be 
from  other  causes — is  the  preposition  oftenest  found 
on  the  Old-French  page.  To-day,  this  is  not  the 
case.  Sentiments  have  died,  and  their  linguistic 
constructions  with  a,  after  having  lived  on  a  few 
generations  from  the  force  of  speech-habit,  either 
disappeared  entirely  and  were  forgotten,  or  else  were 
relegated  to  some  mountain  hearth,  where  a  shade 
of  the  old  sentiment  still  lingered  in  the  less  changed 
customs. 

Examples  of  some  of  these  dead  sentiments  can 
be  noted  in  some  of  the  citations  I  have  classed 
under  the  title  of  '  Space-divisions  brought  about  by 
a  characterizing  aught.' 

Thus  we  saw  there  '  acheter  alcune  rien  a  SarrazinsJ 
where  the  a  would  be  translated  in  English  with 
from,  or  in  Modern  French  by  de.  The  sentiment 
here  has  not  entirely  died  out  in  Modern  French 
(although  the  construction  has) ,  since  we  still  say : 
'  acheter  quelque  chose  chez  un  tel  (meaning  at  some 
one's  shop).  That  the  sentiment,  however,  is  dying 
is  shown  here  by  the  encroachments  of  de;  as,  'acheter 
quelque  chose  de  chez  un  tel.'  Then  again,  '  embler 
alcune  rien  a  alcun,'  where  another  English  from 
and  Modern  French  de  would  be  used.  'Voler  chez 
quelqu'un '  is  only  used  to-day  when  we  wish  to 


The  Preposition  A.  37 

bring  out  the  locality  of  the  theft;  it  seems  however 
to  have  been  the  current  sentiment  in  Old  French 
for  stealing ;  possibly,  because  in  those  days  theft 
could  only  be  committed  at  one's  house,  as  the  carry- 
ing around  of  jewels,  etc.,  was  mostly  confined  to 
those  set  in  the  hilts  of  swords,  to  which  a  somewhat 
dangerous  reminder  was  attached.  Then,  'apprendre 
a  moi,'  the  words  of  the  Christ,  which  have  formed 
the  ironical  stock  example  for  the  school-grammars, 
since  the  time  of  Orelli,  to  show  how  a  means  from. 
In  the  Old-French  time,  however,  they  learned  about 
as  often  '  at  the  feet  of1  (—d  =  chez]  a  grammarian, 
as  they  did  from  (de)  one.  Indeed  in  the  example 
I  cited  from  Ser.  S.  Bern,  the  verb  occurs  construed 
twice  with  a  (moi,  nous-memes)  and  once  with  de 
(lui,  where  lid  =  Christ) . 

I  believe,  then,  that  there  is  a  connective  thread 
of  meaning  between  all  the  different  usages  of  the 
preposition  a,  and  that  if  this  thread  be  followed 
it  leads  back  invariably  to  the  idea  of  place.  This 
local  idea  in  expressions  of  situation  has  been 
exhausted  in  the  examples  of  the  preceding  pages. 
We  come  now  to  study  the  cases  where  a  trailing 
off-shoot,  as  it  were,  of  the  idea  of  situation  has 
taken  root  in  the  language  and  built  itself  up  into 
a  new  life  and  into  an  individual  existence. 

The  first  of  these  to  be  mentioned  is : 

1.    The  preposition  a  in  expressions  of  intensity. 

This  construction,  in  its  incipiency,  stands  close 
indeed  to  the  parent  stock ;  the  only  difference  being 
that  in  the  one,  as  we  have  already  seen,  situation 
is  marked  by  a  point,  while  in  the  other,  intensity, 


38  The  Preposition  A. 

situation  is  regarded  as  extended  from  one  point  to 
another,  that  is,  by  a  succession  of  points ;  and  over 
this  whole  space  the  preposition  a  extends  its  juris- 
diction, since  the  point  of  departure,  which  indeed 
need  not  be  expressed,  marks  only  a  beginning 
without  any  idea  of  a  continuation  into  space.  Thus 
Marie  de  France,  in  an  example  cited  below,  talks 
of  the  unfortunate  beings  who  lie,  nailed  to  the 
earth  with  burning  nails :  "  From  their  head  to  their 
feet "  (des  chies  des  i  qu'as  piez),  she  says,  "  so 
thickly  were  all  their  members  nailed,  that  never 
could  you  have  laid  a  finger  down,  unless  you  touched 
a  nail."  Here  a  comes  in  as  usual  to  mark  the 
situation,  the  place  where  the  nails  were  nailed ;  but 
instead  of  defining  a  single  spot,  it  must  needs  here 
extend  its  compass  over  all  that  space  situated  be- 
tween the  head  and  the  feet,  if  indeed  the  real 
situation  be  defined.  This  it  did,  but  the  effect,  we 
would  almost  say,  was  unlooked  for ;  since,  instead  of 
expressing  the  idea  of  locality,  the  result  was  an  ex- 
pression of  extent,  of  quantity,  of  the  '  how-muchness ' 
of  things, — of  intensity.  No  longer  do  we  heed  the 
situation  of  the  nail,  but  the  meaning  flashed  to  us  by 
a  is  the  intensity  to  which  the  nailing  operation  was 
raised.  A,  following  the  bent  of  its  nature,  had  offered 
itself  to  express  situation,  and  if  another  thought  re- 
sulted, it  was  not  the  fault  of  the  preposition. 

This  may  be  said  to  be  the  first  off-shoot  of  the 
meaning  of  the  preposition  a  that  became  an  inde- 
pendent construction.  That  it  borrowed  its  first 
scale  from  its  old  associates,  the  divisions  of  space, 
is  self-evident ;  with  these  the  creation  of  a  new 
construction  was  achieved  and  added  to  the  language 
stock.  What  growth  the  construction  made  in  its 


The  Preposition  A.  39 

own  particular  field  independent  of  its  origin,  from 
its  own  accumulated  vitality,  we  will  see  in  the  next 
chapter ;  for  the  moment  let  us  study  its  incipiency : 

(a.) 

Intensity  Measured  on  a  Scale  Sorrowed  from 
Space- Divisions. 

Carles  chevalchet  e  les  vals  e  les  munz,  Entresqu'tf^  Ais  ne 
voelt  prendre  sujurn.  Rol.  3696, 

Tant  com  il  a  des  la  chevece  Jusqu'aufermail  d'antrover- 
ture,  Vi  del  piz  nu  sanz  coverture  Plus  blanc  que  n'est  la  nois 
negiee.  Cliges,  843. 

Res  a  res  de  la  coife  blanche  L'espee  contre  val  des9ant, 
L'escu  jusqn'a  la  bode  fant,  Et  del  hauberc  lez  le  coste"  Li 
a  plus  d'un  espan  oste".  Erec,  942. 

De  tute  maniere  d'ee  I  a  veil  gent  trop  grant  plente" ;  E  jurent 
adenz  e  envers,  Fichiez  en  terre  od  clous  de  fers  Ardanz,  des 
chies  des  i  qu'as  piez,  Par  tuz  les  membres  sunt  fichiez  Si 
espes  que  nuls  n'i  mettreit  Sun  dei  qu'a  clou  n'i  tuchereit. 

Esp.  1041. 

De  la  forest  an  une  lande  Antrai  et  vi  une  bretesche  A  demie 
Hue  galesche :  Se  tant  i  ot,  plus  n'i  ot  pas.  Yvain,  192. 

Entre  ses  braz  a  pris  Fenfant,  Des  i  qu'al  fraisne  vint 
corant.  Lais,  Fr.  172. 

Or  estoit  li  fores  pres  a  .ii.  arbalestees,  qui  bien  duroit 
.xxx.  Hues  de  lone  et  de  le,  si  i  avoit  bestes  sauvages  et  serpentine. 

Auc.  16,  28. 

D'un  Gresillon  dist  la  meniere  Qui  dusqu'tt  unefromieere 
El  tans  d'yvers  esteit  alez.  Fab.  xix.,  2. 

Monte  el  cheval,  quant  la  selle  fu  mise,  Passe  les  terres  et  les 
grans  manandies,  Jusqu'a-  Nivelle  ne  cesse  ne  ne  fine. 

Am.  Am.  292. 


40  The  Preposition  A. 

Ce  senefient,  sire,  li  ostoir  blanc,  Que  prendront  compaingie  a 
uostre  enfant,  S'en  iront  en  Espaigne  tout  droitement  Dessi 
a  Panpelune,  le  chite  grant.  Aiol,  421. 

Ilh  trespassat  noiant  une  aigue  forte  et  leie,  De  Pune  rive 
a  I'atre  avoit  une  liweie ;  Ses  dras  ot  sor  son  chief,  entre  ses 
denz  sa  speie,  Si  droit  s'en  alat  oltre  que  poi  fist  d'avaleie. 

Poeme  mor.  32  b. 

Lors  monte  et  il  est  auques  tart,  Li  rois  monte  de  Pautre  part 
Et  bien  .c.  cheualiers  auoeques,  Si  Pont  conuoie  d'ilueques  Dusc'tt 
I'issue  de  la  porte,  Ne  le  quident  uiue  ne  morte  la  mais  ueoir 
en  lor  cages,  Si  dient  ke  c'est  grans  damages.  Ch.  II.  esp.  635. 

O  tu  uirgine  uerge  tres  haltisme  cum  halt  tu  eslieues  ta  sainte 
ceruiz.  eniosk'a  celui  ki  el  trone  siet  Peshalces.  eniosk'a 
signor  de  maiesteit.  S.  S.  Bern.  10,  6. 

Duut  fei  ke  dei  Palladei  e  Diene  la  bele,  Ki  prechera  desore 
mais  de  cele  lei  nuvele,  Acurer  frai  u  enfrundrer  de  teste  u  de 
cervele.  E  ceu  tafur,  si  quis  deiist  estre  de  ci  k'<&  Itwrdele, 
Prendre  le  frai  e  fors  sacher  du  ventre  la  buele.  S.  Aub.  1 264. 

Que  ferai  dont  ?  Je  ne  sai  quoi.  Or  ne  sai  jou  consel  de  moi, 
Le  mains  malvais  je  ne  sai  faire.  Mais  puis  que  je  voi  que  con- 
traire  Me  puet  avenir  des  deus  voies,  Ne  le  lairai  plus  toutes- 
voies  Morir  par  si  cruel  tourment.  N'a  pas  dusqu'a  la  mer 
granment :  La  le  menrai  a  mie  nuit,  Qui  qu'il  soit  bel  ne  qu'il 
anuit.  Manek.  914. 

"  Jehan,  estes  vous  mout  blecie"s?"  Fait  ele;  "  Comment  votis 
est  il  ?  "  "  Certes,  dame,"  fait  il,  "  oi'l.  Ne  sai  comment  fui  atrapes, 
Je  me  sui  dusk'a  Vos  colpes."  Jh.  Bl.  600. 

Gerars  sist  sor  ferrant  qui  vint  de  Terrasconne,  Et  Guis  sist 
sor  morel,  n'ot  tel  jusqu'a  JBaionne.  B.  Comm.  211. 

Et  li  message  chevauchent  durement  Dusqu'a  Paris,  n'i  font 
delaiement.  Enf.  Og.  346. 

Cil  ert  sires  des  Toulousans.  C'ert  adont  uns  roiaumes  grans. 
De  Bourdiaus  d'usqu'a  ^Lontpellier  Ot  toute  la  terre  a 
baillier.  Cleom.  689. 


The  Preposition  A.  41 

Quant  Pepins  tint  1'espiel,  n'i  volt  plus  demorer  :  Vers  le  lion 
s'en  va,  n'ot  talent  d'arrester  ;  Aperternent  li  va  Pepins  tel  cop 
donner,  Devaut  en  la  poitrine  bien  le  sot  aviser,  L'cspiel  jusk'c* 
la  crois  li  fait  el  cors  coler.  Berte,  68. 

Le  cheual  point  lues  d'uue  part  A  une  branche  d'un  puraier 
Qui  d'un  haut  rnur  ot  fait  sommier,  Si  s'estent  iusc'a  deuers 
terre,  Nul  millour  ue  peust  on  querre.  Rich.  3  15. 

Li  raesage  s'en  vint  errant  sans  plus  atendre  Tout  quanque  ses 
chevaus  pot  corre  ne  destendre  ;  De  ci  qu'a  la  Montaigne 
oncques  ne  volt  descendre.  Brun,  366. 


Intensity  Measured  on  a  Scale  Peculiar  to  Itself. 

In  the  last  group  of  examples,  we  have  seen  the 
preposition  a  used  in  the  expression  of  the  intensity 
of  a  'going,'  '  coming,'  'wounding,'  'seeing,'  'finding,' 
'  being,'  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  ;  that  is,  of  all  the  intensities 
that  can  be  measured  on  space-divisions.  By  this 
time  the  construction  has  achieved  existence;  the 
new  meaning  of  the  preposition  is  now  strong  and 
ready  to  be  admitted  into  all  expressions  of  intensity  ; 
that  is,  to  all  expressions  that  may  serve  as  answer 
to  the  question  how  much?  This  is  an  ample  field. 
Mental  actions  are  to  be  measured,  the  value  of 
objects  to  be  told,  numbers  to  be  counted,  etc.,  etc., 
etc.  Here  space-  divisions  can  no  longer  be  used  as 
a  scale,  but  a  does  not  now  need  the  support  of  this 
crutch;  it  joins  itself  indiscriminately  to  whatever 
scale  that  pure  intensity  may  invent,  and  with  what 
results,  the  following  will  show  : 

Quant  §o  veit  Guenes  qu'ore  s'en  rit  Rollanz,     Dune  ad  tel 
doel,  pur  poi  d'ire  ne  fent,     A  bien  petit  que  il  ne  pert  le  sens, 
4 


42  The  Preposition  A. 

E  dit  a  FCunte  :  "  Jo  ue  vus  aim  nient ;     Sur  raei  avez  tumet  fals 
jugement."     Rol.  326. 

Bien  est  Alixandres  venuz,  Car  a  rien  qu'il  vuelle  ne  faut, 
N'an  la  cort  n'a  baron  si  haut,  Qui  bel  ne  Fapiaut  et  acuelle. 

Cliges,  389. 

De  la  gorge  ne  di  je  pas  Que  vers  li  ne  soil  cristaus  trebles. 
Et  li  cos  est  a  quatre  dobles  Plus  blans  qu'ivoires  soz  la 
trece.  Ibid.  840. 

Ele  a  pooir  a  grant  plente,  Mais  ele  a  plus  de  volente" ; 
Plus  puet  que  nule  que  on  truist  Et  si  veut  plus  qu'ele  ne  puist. 

Ille,  103. 

De  tute  maniere  d'ee  I  vit  genz  a  si  grant  plente  Qu'il 
cuidout  bien  que  nuls  vivanz  El  munt  n'en  peiist  veeir  tauz  ! 

Esp.  1600. 

Quant  j'ai  d'aucun  regart,  Au  mieuz  que  puis  me  gart,  Que 
je  par  lui  ne  muire;  Mais  cil  qui  nuit  et  jour  Est  o  moi  a  sejour, 
Me  puet  grever  et  nuire.  Ja  ne  verrez  si  mauvais  larrou  con  le 
prive",  Ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  1 90. 

Mes  or  i  a  mout  po  des  suens,  Que  a  bien  pres  Font  tuit 
leissiee,  S'an  est  amors  rnout  abeissiee.  Yvain,  19. 

Gelus  esteit  a  desmesure  ;  Car  ceo  purporte  la  nature  Que 
tuit  li  vieil  seient  gelus ;  Mult  het  chascuns  que  il  seit  cus. 

Lais,  Guig.  213. 

C'est  fantosmes,  que  vos  dites ;  qu'il  n'a  si  ciere  beste  en  ceste 
forest,  ne  cerf  ne  lion  ne  sengler,  dont  uns  des  inenbres  vaille  plus 
de  dex  deniers  u  de  trois  an  plus,  et  vos  paries  de  si  grant  avoir  ! 

Auc.  18,  28. 

Enmi  ce  prei  en  un  wassel  Seriens  or  andels  mun  vueil ;  La 
ai-jeo  la  moie  mansiun  U  tuz  bien  sunt  a  grant  foisun. 

Fab.  in.  40. 

Yers  lui  se  torne  quant  il  Tot  ravise",  Par  tel  vertu  se  sont 
entracole,  Tant  fort  se  baisent  et  estraingneut  soef,  A  poi  ne 
sont  estaint  et  define ;  Lor  estrier  rompent  si  sont  cheu  el  pre. 

Am.  Am.  181. 


The  Preposition  A.  43 

Traies  as  boins  osteus  d'anchiserie,    Mangles  a  grant  plente 

par  signorie;     Ne  beues  mie  trop  de  uin  sor  lie.     Aiol,  216. 

Qve  ,ke  li  rois  ensi  pensoit,  Estes  uous  en  le  sale  droit  Vn 
nain  petit  a  desmesure,  Ki  uenus  ert  grant  ambleure  De 
mout  loing  et  a  grant  esploit  Sour  tine  mule  ki  estoit  Plus 
blanche  ke  n'est  nois  negie.  Ch.  II.  esp.  391. 

Quar  a  moins  de  grieue  recoit  Les  cops,  qui  deuant  s'an 
poruoit.  Lyon.  Ys.  1051. 

Et  por  ecu  est  digne  chose  ke  li  malades  s'enforst  a  moens  de 
leueir  lo  chief.  S.  S.  Bern.  6,  32. 

Amans  auoit  a  non  li  amans,  ie  uos  di,  Qui  por  cele  Florie 
mainte  paine  soffri.  Ce  fu  trop  a  son  grief,  quant  il  onques  le  ui, 
A  poi  qu'il  ne  morut  d'arnor  qu'il  ot  en  lui.  Venus,  58  d. 

Ne  prisa  mais  noz  deus  a  valur  d'un  gant :  Batuz  e  debrisez 
e  defule  e  senglant  Cum  mort  le  lessames  au  pe  du  munt  gisant. 

S.  Aub.  1162. 

Et  ses  peres  Jehan  conforte  De  sa  mere  qui  estoit  morte,  Quide 
c'autre  max  ne  le  touce;  Mais  il  est  navres  d'une  entouce. 
Nepourquant  au  plus  bel  qu'il  puet  Pour  le  gent  conforter 
Festuet ;  Bien  perchoit  au  samblant  s'amie  Qu'ele  est  dedens  le 
cuer  marie,  Se  Panuis  a  Jehan  demeure.  Jh.  Bl.  1779. 

Li  amustans  de  Cordes  fu  forment  corroucies,  Quant  il  01 
Buevon,  a  pou  n'est  enragies.  "Vassal,"  fait  il,  "fols  estes  et 
moult  outrecuidies,  Quant  vous  mes  prisons  estes  et  me  contra- 
liies."  B.  Comm.  651. 

Chascuns  ne  fist  pas  ce  qu'il  vot,  Ains  fist  chascuns  au  miem 
qu'il  pot.  Cleom.  1290. 

Ne  li  aniaus  n'estoit  prisies,  Ains  iert  quasses  et  debrisies 
Et  estoit  mis  en  noncaloir,  Dont  on  se  devoit  bien  doloir  ;  Ne 
se  viertus  n'avoit  poissanche,  Tant  que  dieus  donna  connoissanche 
A  vaillans  prinches  dusc'tt  trois,  Ki  mout  eurent  les  cuers 
destrois,  Quant  il  perchurent  1'arrierage,  Le  grant  meschief  et 
le  damage  De  Penfant  ki  iert  fourmene"s.  Vr.  An.  251. 

"  Va  tost,  n'aiies  pas  demoure,  De  ce  pieument  et  du  moure 
A  grant  plante  nous  en  aporte."  Rich.  273. 


44  The  Preposition  A. 

Tout  ce  que  j'avoie  veil     Li  dis,  au  miex  que  j'ai  peii. 

Pant.  314. 

Dont  keurent  crestien  jusques  a  trente  et  troi,  Saudoine 
ont  assali  et  de  lance  et  d'espoi ;  Mais  dis  mile  paien,  qui  furent 
de  sa  loy,  Sont  venu  a  Saudoine  parmi  le  sablonnoy.  Bast.  278. 

Tant  chevaucha  de  jor  et  de  nuit  ensement  Qu'il  trouva  des 
barons  du  seigneur  jusqu'tt  cent,  Et  les  assembla  touz  a  .j. 
avesprement,  Puis  leur  dit  en  oiant  bel  et  courtoissement : 
"  Seigneur,  etc."  Brun,  69. 

— The  expression  of  temporal  intensity. 

Here  the  same  state  of  affairs  exists  as  we  have 
seen  for  space  proper.  The  following  are  my  ex- 
amples : 

Quant  veit  li  pedre  que  mais  n'avrat  enfant  Mais  que  eel  sol 
que  il  par  amat  tant,  Done  se  porpenset  del  siecle  a  en  avant : 
Or  volt  que  prenget  muilier  a  son  vivant,  Done  li  achatet 
filie  d'un  noble  franc.  Alex.  8  d. 

— "  Sire,"  dist  Guenes,  "  90  ad  tut  fait  Rollanz  :  Ne  Pamerai  a 
trestut  mun  vivant,  Ne  Olivier  pur  90  qu'est  sis  cumpainz, 
Les  duze  Pers,  pur  90  qu'il  Faiment  tant.  Rol.  284. 

Desqu'aZ  tens  Noe  Fut  riniquite"  Si  fort  aiinee,  Que 
n'aveit  amor  Sers  a  son  seignor,  Ne  fei  n'ert  guardee. 

Reimpr.  14  a. 

Meis  qui  qu'an  eit  duel  ne  pesance,  Ne  qui  que  li  tort  a 
anfance,  Et  qui  que  li  blasme  et  deslot,  Li  vaslez  au  plus 
tost  que  pot  Comande  ses  nes  aprester,  Que  il  n'a  cure  d'arestcr 
An  son  pai's  plus  longuemant.  Cliges,  228. 

Cevalerie  que  on  vent  Par  jangler  menu  et  sovent,  Ne  puet 
au  lone  a  bien  venir ;  Car  nul  n'en  daigne  sovenir.  Ille,  229. 

"  Sire/7  fet  la  rei'ne  au  roi,  "  Antandez  un  petit  a  moi !  Se  cist 
baron  loent  mon  dit,  Metez  cest  beisier  an  respit  Jusqu'a  tierz 
jor  qu'Erec  revaingne."  Erec,  339. 


The  Preposition  A.  45 

Li  hon  suefre  sa  honte,  Lone  tens  n'en  tient  mil  conte,  Puis 
venge  ses  talanz.  Mainte  bontez  est  faite  Que  on  a  puis  retraite 
Des  iluec  a  set  an&.  Viez  plaie  cuit,  et  viez  dete  aide,  Ce  dit 
li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  29. 

II  viaut  estre  jusquVfc  tierz  jor    An  Broceliande  .... 

Yvain,  696. 

Ele  n'osa  raie  parfont  entrer  por  les  bestes  sauvages  et  por  le 
serpentine  si  se  quatist  en  un  espes  buisson,  et  soumax  li  prist,  si 
s'endormi  dusqu'aif  demain  a  haute  prime,  que  li  pastorel 
is9irent  de  la  vile  et  jeterent  lor  bestes  entre  le  bos  et  la  riviere,  si 
se  traient  d'une  part  a  nne  mout  bele  fontaine  qui  estoit  au  cief  de 
la  forest,  si  estendirent  une  cape  se  missent  lor  pain  sus.  Auc.  18,  5. 

Laienz  se  tinrent  li  traitor  prouve,  La  nuit  i  jurent  desci  a 
I'ajorner.  Am.  Am.  339. 

Puis  a  tant  sa  uoie  tenue  K'ele  a  la  capiele  coisie,  Mais  ele  ne 
la  passe  mie,  Ains  descent  et  est  ens  entree  Et  s'a  ens  auoec  li 
menee  Sa  mule  au  plus  tost  Ttfelepot.  Ch.  II.  esp.  729. 

Et  certes  ie  ne  dote  pas  buens  hommes  auoir  esteit,  nekedent 
ensenges  et  uertuz  quide  ie  d'eaz  u  nient  estre  faites  u  eles  sont 
ioskes  a  or  ensi  par  silence  taues,  ke  nos  ne  sauons,  se  eles  faites 
sont  u  non.  Dial.  Gr.  7,  6. 

E  tuz  ses  eirs  depuis  enca  Que  cele  guerre  comenca  Furent 
en  paine  e  en  dolur,  Desqu'a  tant  que  lesalveor,  Qui  descendi 
del  sain  al  pere  Vesti  char  en  la  virge  mere  E  vint  reaindre  les 
chaitifs,  Qui  aveient  este  futis  E  en  tenebrose  prison,  Dom  il 
les  traist  a  guareison.  Guil.  B.  D.  130. 

La  cusenzon  del  cors  mettons  anzois  en  respit  eniosk'tt  eel  tens 
et  eel  ior  /  k'il  uenrat  por  reformeir  lo  cors  .  .  S.  S.  Bern.  20,  5. 

" Dame,"  dist  li  amans,  "por  deu  uos  proi  merci,  De  lui  ne 
uoeil  partir,  mieus  aim  ma  uie  ensi,  Et  languir  a  tos  iors,  par 
foi  le  uos  afi,  Que  ie  de  ses  amors  fusse  tot  departi.  Venus,  141  c. 

Jo,  ki  a  ceu  tens  estoie  mescreant  sarrazin,  De  ceste  estoire  vi  le 
cumen9ail  e  fin,  Despuis  ke  Auban  regut  en  sun  palois  perrin  Sun 
oste  Amphibal,  trespassant  pelerin,  Gesk7a  tant  k'il  furent  mis 


46  The  Preposition  A. 

en  sarcu  marbrin,  Of  leg  paens  estoie  de  la  loi  Apolin,  Pallaide, 
e  Diene,  e  Phebun,  e  Jovin,  Ki  sunt  dampne  diable  en  enfer 
susterin,  (Mes  le  honur  Jesu  crest,  e  cist  vunt  en  declin  ;)  La 
geste  ai,  cum  la  vi,  escrit  en  parchemin.  S.  Aub.  1815. 

Quant  li  rois  voit  que  si  baron  Voelent  qu'il  face  dusqu'en  son 
Tout  lor  bon  et  lor  volente",  Si  leur  a  respit  demande,  Sans  plus, 
dusc'a  la  candelier;  Adonc  si  reviegnent  arrier,  Si  lor  dira 
qu'il  volra  faire,  U  de  Pescondire  ou  du  faire.  Manek.  371. 

Mais  si  grant  doute  a  de  falir  Dusk'au  dire  n'ose  salir, 
Ains  dist :  "  Grans  mercis,  dame  douce,  Mout  est  vostre  parole 
douce."  Jh.  Bl.  740. 

De  leur  teches  vous  parlerai    Au  plus  briement  que  ie  porrai. 

Cleom.  284. 

Ilueques  demorai  de  lors  jusqu'cm  mardi,  Tant  que  la  vraie 
estoire  emportai  avoec  mi  Si  comme  Berte  fu  en  la  forest  par  li, 
Ou  mainte  grosse  paine  endura  et  soufri :  L'estoire  iert  si  rimSe, 
par  foi  le  vous  plevi,  Que  li  mesentendant  en  seront  abaubi. 
Et  li  bien  entendant  en  seront  esjoi'.  Berte,  15. 

"  La  seres  bien  iusc'a  celle  eure,  Que  reuenrai  sans  grant 
demeure."  Rich.  225. 

Li  rois  en  jure  Dieu,  qui  en  le  crois  fu  mis,  Jamais  ne  retourra, 
tant  que  ses  corps  soit  vis,  Jusqu'^  tant  qu'il  ara  aquite  le  pai's. 

Bast.  48. 

2.   The  preposition  a  in  expressions  of  modality. 

The  idea  of  modality  is  a  vague  abstraction  that 
language  cannot  express.  Only  after  a  more  or  less 
lengthy  process  of  deductive  reasoning,  in  which 
language  is  left  far  behind,  do  we  come  to  the  point 
where  we  can  answer  the  seemingly  simple  question 
how? 

A  child  answers  readily  the  question  of  a  where  9  and 
a  when?]  but  at  how 9,  there  is  a  moment  of  embarrass- 
ment, an  assembling  of  thoughts,  and  when  finally  we 


The  Preposition  A.  47 

do  get  a  reply,  it  is  couched  in  local  and  temporal  terms, 
from  which  he  hopes  that  we  will  glean  a  meaning  other 
than  that  his  words  convey,  and  better  than  this  indeed 
language  has  never  been  able  to  do. 

We  ask  for  instance :  "  How  shall  I  carry  this  box  ?  ", 
and  the  answer  comes  :  "  On  your  back  "  ;  here,  where  z= 
modality.  Again  :  "How  did  you  know  it  was  an  ass  ?  " 
— "  By  his  voice  "  ;  here,  when  =z  modality.  Again  : 
"How  did  you  break  your  leg?" — "I  was  walking  on 
the  ice,  when  I  slipped  and  fell  "  ;  here,  where  +  when  z= 
modality. 

It  might  appear  at  first  sight  that  language  has  direct 
expression  of  modality  in  the  case  of  the  quality  and 
quantity  adverbs :  well,  badly,  sweetly,  slowly,  rapidly, 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.  This,  however,  is  not  the  case,  since  in 
all  these  expressions  we  make  a  predication,  and  a 
predication  must  ever  be  identified  with  a  substantive 
idea,  with  an  aught — never  with  an  action.  '  Sweetly  \ 
for  instance,  is  logically  no  answer  at  all  to  the  question : 
"  How  does  she  sing?  "  ;  since  that  which  is  sweet,  is  the 
aught,  the  singing;  not  the  action,  the  to-sing. 

The  earliest  grammarians,  and  since  them  the  term 
has  stuck,  called  a  certain  phase  of  verb-flexion,  modality 
(modus).  Thus,  they  said  that  the  'to-be'  in  the 
expression  '  he  is  there J  represented  one  modus  of  this 
verb,  and  that  that  in  '  I  wish  he  were  there"1  represented 
another.  Here  again,  however,  no  modus  is  expressed, 
but  when  z=  modality.  That  is,  verb-moods  are  nothing 
but  tense-expressions,  but  temporal  words,  that  suggest 
to  the  mind  a  kind  of  modality. 

In  English,  the  modal  weres,  mays,  cans,  mights, 
coulds,  woulds,  and  shoulds,  betray  easily  their  temporal 
basis,  as  does  in  French  the  conditional.  And  even  in 
the  French  Subjunctive  one  has  no  difficulty  in  feeling 


48  The  Preposition  A. 

the  temporal  swing.  Between  l  il  est  la '  and  '  je  voudrais 
qujil  fut  la '  there  exists  only  a  temporal  difference ;  in 
the  latter  expression  the  idea  of  futurity  is  so  strongly 
set  forth  that  the  present,  which  is  the  base  of  reality, 
is  lost  sight  of;  and  the  mind,  left  to  grapple  with  this 
intense  futurity,  naturally  draws  therefrom  the  sugges- 
tion of  a  doubt,  a  possibility,  that  constitutes  for  the 
word  the  distinction  of  a  modus.  That  we  take  a  sug- 
gestion, and  not  an  intrinsic  meaning,  is  shown  further 
by  the  fact  that  this  same  fut  can  bring  about  or  suggest 
exactly  the  same  modus  when  it  has  a  diametrically 
opposed  meaning ;  as,  in :  'faurais  voulu  (or  je  voulais) 
grill  fut  la'-  here  it  is  intensified  past  time  that  brings 
the  possibility,  the  doubt,  and  hence  the  modality.  Fur- 
ther, when  the  language  of  to-day  persists  in  using  the 
present  of  the  Subjunctive  after  imperfects  and  con- 
ditionals, as  well  as  after  presents, — and  this  in  spite  of 
the  anathemas  of  a  generation  of  grammarians — we 
have  before  us  living  proof  that  the  present  Subjunctive, 
like  what  we  have  already  seen  for  the  imperfect,  is 
modus  only  through  suggestion.  For  if  the  mind  re- 
ceived from  the  present  Subjunctive  an  impression  of 
an  intrinsic  meaning,  it  could  never  be  used  in  so 
widely  divergent  instances. 

Mood-forms,  then,  may  be  called  linguistic  lenses 
that  receive  from  an  expressed  or  unexpressed  (as  in 
the  case  of  the  imperative)  independent  verb  the  idea 
of  temporality  which  they  transmit  magnified  and  inten- 
sified to  such  an  extent  that  the  mind  gleans  therefrom 
the  suggestion  of  a  modality.  This  is  nothing  more 
than  what  we  saw  with  '  on  his  back ',  *  by  his  voice ',  etc. 

Language  having,  then,  nothing  but  space-make- 
shifts for  the  expression  of  modality,  the  question  now 
arises  what  are  the  make-shifts  that  French,  the  Ian- 


The  Preposition  A.  49 

guage  in  question,  has  employed  towards  this  end. 
Of  the  prepositions — for  it  is  this  kind  of  expression 
that  particularly  interests  us  now — French  has  used  them 
all  in  expressions  of  modality,  since  in  all  of  them  is  to 
be  found  the  idea  of  space.  That  a  should  be  used  here 
more  frequently  than  the  other  prepositions  is  conse- 
quent upon  its  intrinsic  meaning :  '  il  a  un  fardeau  au 
dos',  and  the  line  of  least  resistance  for  the  expression 
of  modality,  is  to  continue  and  say :  '  il  le  porte  au  dos ' ; 
'  he  wipes  his  hands,  or  the  blood,  on  a  cloth ',  where  the 
word-position  brings  out  the, idea  of  place;  change  now 
the  word-position  so  as  to  accent  cloth,  and  the  mind  is 
able  to  catch  an  idea  of  modality, — here,  means,  which 
English  and  Modern  French  would  introduce  by  with, 
avec.  Old  French,  however,  kept  on  with  her  much- 
beloved  particle,  saying  simply :  c  a  un  drap  li  osterent 
le  sane '.  Again,  a  man  holds  a  bird  in  his  two  hands : 
from  rage,  then  and  there,  he  would  wring  its  neck. 
In  English  or  Modern  French  he  would  do  it  with — , 
in  Old  French  not  so,  but :  '  le  col  li  rumpt  a  ses  dous 
meins '.  Even  in  English  we  have  kept  some  of  the 
place  prepositions  in  expressions  of  instrumental  mo- 
dality ;  as,  'to  torture  on  the  rack',  which  means:  'to 
torture  with  the  rack  '. 

That  is,  with  these  expressions  where  the  idea  of 
place  and  the  idea  of  modality  are  equally  mingled,  we 
stand  again  present  at  the  birth  of  a  new  meaning  for 
the  preposition  a,  the  modal  meaning.  The  examples 
I  cite  to  illustrate  this  stage  of  the  development  could 
have  been  grouped  into  two  classes :  first,  those  where 
the  spirit  of  to-day  can  detect  the  presence  of  the  local 
idea;  as,  'on foot',  (a pied),  'on  horse-back',  (a  cheval), 
'  on  the  rack '  (approximately  zz a  glaive),  '  on  the  back ' 
(au  dos),  'in  the  hands'  (aux  mains)',  'in  the  heart' 
5 


50  The  Preposition  JL 

(au  cceur)j  etc.,  etc.,  etc. ;  and  then  those  where  we  can 
no  longer  feel  this  presence  of  place;  as,  'with  the 
sword '  (a  Vepee),  etc.  But  we  have  no  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  Old  French  did  not  also  feel  even  here  the 
local  idea;  on  the  other  hand,  stray  expressions  that 
have  come  down  to  us,  like  '  put  to  the  sword '  (passer 
aufil  de  Vepee),  for  instance,  would  lead  us  to  imply  the 
presence,  in  that  time  there,  of  the  local  idea  in.  all 
cases  where  a  enters  into  the  expression  of  instrumental 
and  means-modality. — I  have  also  classed  indiscrimi- 
nately with  this  stage  the  expressions  of  material  by 
means  of  which  an  action  or  aught  is  achieved.  Thus, 
we  still  say  *  to  write  in  blood ',  when  we  mean  '  to  write 
with  blood';  or  'wrought  in  gold',  when  we  mean 
1  wrought  from  gold ',  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  This  is  so  perfectly 
in  accord  with  the  spirit  of  the  whole  class  that  I  have 
thought  a  subdivision  of  the  examples  useless. 

(a.) 

Modality  suggested  by  the  aid  of  the  divisions  of  space. 

Ad  encensiers,  ad  ories  chandelabres  Clerc  revestut 
en  albes  et  en  chapes  Metent  le  cors  enz  el  sarcou  de  marbre, 
Alquant  i  chantent,  li  pluisor  getent  lairmes :  Ja  le  lor  voil  de  lui 
ne  desevrassent.  Alex.  117  a. 

"  Je  1'ocirai  a  mun  espiet  trenchant,  Se  Mahummet  me 
voelt  estre  guarant.  Rol.  867. 

Meis  il  n'i  ont  trovee  pas  La  voie  sainne  ne  le  pas,  Car  li  real 
lor  contredi'ent,  Qui  mout  fieremant  les  desfi'ent  Et  la  traison 
lor  reprochent,  As  fers  des  lances  s'antraprochent,  [Si  que 
les  esclicent  et  fraingnent,  As  espees  s'antraconpaingnentj  Si 
s'antrabatent  et  adantent,  Li  un  les  autres  acravantent,  Et  ausi 
fieremant  ou  plus  Corent  li  un  as  autres  sus,  Con  li  lion  a  proie 
corent,  Qui  quanqu'il  ataingnent  devorent.  Cliges,  1748-50. 


The  Preposition  A.  51 

Tant  mainte  dame  ai  ja  trovee,  Qui  de  grans  biens  est  esprovee. 
Moi  ne  caut ;  car  n'i  a  cell  Qui  s'aparaut  de  rien  a  li,  Ne  que  li 
coevres  a  fin  or.  Ille,  37. 

Chauces  ot  de  paile  chauciees,  Mout  bien  feites  et  bien  tailliees, 
Et  fu  es  estriers  afichiez,  Uns  esperons  a  or  chanciest ;  Ne 
n'ot  arme  o  lui  aportee  Fors  que  tant  solemant  s'espee. 

Erec,  102. 

Icist  palais  aveit  en  sei  Entur,  une  entiere  parei,  Faite  a 
piliers  e  a  archiees,  A  vulsurs  e  a  wandiches: 
Cloistre  reserablout  envirun,  Cum  a  gent  de  religiun. 

Esp.  689,  690. 

Mainte  chose  ai  donee,  Mise  et  abandonee,  Dont  je  me 
repentoie;  Se  ne  Peusse  mise,  Ja  ne  m'en  repentisse  Et  j'en 
eusse  joie.  Mainz  hon  jete  a  ses  piez  ce  qu'il  tient  a  ses  mains, 
Ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  59. 

Car  quant  j'an  puis  une  tenir  As  poin&  que  j'ai  et  durs  et 
forz,  Si  la  destraing  par  les  deus  corz  Que  les  autres  de  peor 
tranblent  Et  tot  anviron  moi  s'assanblent  Aussi  con  por  merci 
crier,  Ne  nus  ne  s'i  porroit  fie'r  Fors  moi,  s'antr'eles  Pestoit  mis, 
Que  maintenant  ne  fust  ocis. 

Yvain,  347. 

Si  tost  cum  il  vint  al  palais  E  li  Bisclavret  Paperceut,  De  plain 
eslais  vers  lui  curut :  As  den&  le  prist,  vers  lui  le  trait.  Ja  li 
eiist  mult  grant  laid  fait,  Ne  fust  li  reis  ki  Papela,  D'une  verge 
le  manaya.  Lais,  Biscl.  199. 

Sire  visquens,  c'aves  vos  fait  de  Nicolete,  ma  tresdouce  amie,  le 
riens  en  tot  le  mont  que  je  plus  amoie  ?  Aves  le  me  vos  tolue  ne 
enblee?  Sacies  bien  que,  se  je  en  muir,  faide  vous  en  sera 
demandee,  et  ce  sera  bien  drois.  Que  vos  rn'ares  ocis  a  vos  deus 
mains,  car  vos  m'aves  tolu  la  riens  en  cest  mont  que  je  plus 
amoie.  Auc.  6,  12. 

Li  Vilains  Pa  a-val  gite"e  Si  li  a  la  langue  cupe"e,  Puis 
demanda  k'avis  li  fu  E  qu'el  en  avoit  entendu  ?  Se  li  prez  fu  od 
fax  fauchiez  U  s'il  fu  od  forces  tranchiez  ?  La  Yielle  ne  pot  pas 
paller  A  ses  doi&  li  prist  a  mounstrer  Qu'as  forces  Paveit- 
hum  trenchi6  Que  fax  ne  Paveit  pas  fauchie. 

Fab.  xcv,  26,  27. 


52  The  Preposition  JL 

Le  conte  Amile  vit  en  mi  leu  ester ;  Ne'l  vit  ainz  roais  si  le 
connut  assez  As  bonnes  armes  dont  il  iert  adoubez  Et  as 
nouvelles  que  on  li  ot  conte".  Am.  Am.  173. 

Mais  quant  Elies  uint  premiers  en  Termitage,  Dolans  fu  de  sa 
lance  qui  ne  pot  ester  saue,  A  I'espee  trenchant  dont  li  brans 
d'achier  taille  En  recaupa  li  ber  .iii.  pies  et  une  paume  Tant 
que  ele  pot  bien  entrer  en  Pabitacle;  Quant  il  en  ot  oste  et 
recaupe  grant  mase,  Ne  trouast  on  en  France  issi  longe  d'une 
aune.  Aiol,  95. 

Quar  el  grant  ermitage  teilz  ermites  manoit,  Qui  plus  pres  de 
cine  liwes  gote  d'aiwe  n'avoit.  Danz  Moyses  par  nuit  a  son  col 
li  portoit,  Si  faisoit  il  cascon  qui  mestier  en  avoit. 

Poeme  mor.  63  c. 

Dedens  la  sale  pas  n'entra  A  cheual,  ancois  ariesta  Defors,. 
s'est  descend  us  a  piet.  Ch.  II.  esp.  176. 

Et  elleuos  el  siwant  ior  dessuz  meisme  Palbe  del  ior,  uint  uns 
serianz  a  lulien  auoc  une  epistele  a  un  cheual  forment 
lasseit  de  curs,  en  la  queile  epistele  a  lui  fut  comandeit,  ke  il 
lo  serf  de  deu  n'osast  pas  atochier  u  mouoir  de  son  monstier. 

Dial.  Gr.  23,  15. 

A  son  fort  bee  li  pous  trauaille  En  un  femier  por  sa 
uitaille.  Lyon.  Ys.  29. 

De  fin  or  fu  la  cauechure  mout  gentilment  ouree,  Et  a  pieres 
de  grant  uertus  tot  enuiron  brousdee.  Li  archon  sont  d'un 
blanc  yuoire  tailliet  a  triforee,  Trestot  de  Pueure  Salemon 
mout  sotilment  ouree.  Venus,  214  b,  c. 

Lia  e  repruva,  laidit  e  escharni,  Gesk'au  sane  espandre  de 
escurgies  bati,  Des  paumes  a  la  face  criieument  feri,  En  un  fust 
dresce",  autre  entravers  parmi,  A  clous  le  afferma,  encroa  e 
pendi,  De  espines  curuna,  a  boivre  fel  tendi.  S.  Aub.  237. 

Cele  part  sont  ale  sans  point  d'arrestison ;  Le  chevalier 
trouverent  si  com  en  pasmoison,  Aymeris  Pesventoit  au  pan 
dou  siglaton,  Et  Guillaume  d'Orenge  Fessue  a  son  giron. 

B.  Comm.  174-175. 


The  Preposition  A.  53 

Un  message  as  V  rois  transmist     Et  de  par  lui  savoir  leur  fist 

o  -t 

K'a  I  d'aus  combatre  vorroit  Le  quel  que  il  miex  lor  plairoit, 
Ou  au  plus  vaillant  de  lor  gent  Cors  a  cors9  et  par  tel  couvent 
Que,  se  cil  a  cui  combatroit  Par  ses  armes  le  conqueroit, 
K'Espaigne  lairoit  a  tous  jours  Ne  mais  n'i  seroit  ses  retours. 

Cleom.  384. 

"  Dame,"  ce  dist  Tybers,  "  grans  biens  vous  est  creiis,  Bertain 
avons  ocise  a  nos  brans  esmolus."  Berte,  684. 

Si  redirons  d'un   cheualier     Hardi  as  armes  et  mout  fier. 

Rich.  310. 

Et  li  tiers,  qui  bien  avenoit,  Estoit  a  pie  et  si  menoit  Par 
les  resnes  le  damoisel.  Pant.  282. 

"  Vassaus  ",  che  dist  Saudoines,  "  comment  aves  a  non  ?  Car 
bien  sanies  fiers  prinches  au  vis  et  au  menton." 

Bast.  547. 

Quant  li  .iiij.  murdrier  ont  choisi  le  mesage,  Qui  s'en  aloit 
tous  seus  a  pie  par  le  boscage,  Us  sont  a  lui  venu  pour  paier  son 
truage,  Et  li  ont  dit  :  "  Amis,  enten  a  no  lengage  ;  II  te  faut 
aquiter  a  nous  de  ton  passage."  Brun,  135. 


Modality  Suggested  by  the  Aid  of  Predicated  Modality  ; 
or  in  Oilier  Words,  by  Means  Peculiar  to  Itself. 

In  the  preceding  division  of  our  work  we  saw  the 
preposition  a  used  with  parts  of  the  body,  with  natural 
and  artificial  limits  of  nature,  just  as  indeed  we  saw 
in  'Basic  Constructions'  (pp.  1-19).  One  essential 
difference,  however,  was  seen  to  exist  between  these 
two  groups  ;  for  while  in  the  one  we  took  the  expres- 
sion literally  and  construed  '  on  the  rack  '  as  something 
situated  on  a  rack,  in  the  other  we  went  outside 
the  domain  of  word-  signification  and  gathered  up  a 
meaning  of  modality  :  <  with  the  rack.' 


54  The  Preposition  A. 

That  is,  just  as  we  have  seen  its  local  meaning 
inveigle  the  preposition  a  into  the  establishing  of  a 
meaning  of  intensity,  so  here,  commencing  with  the 
divisions  of  space,  another  off-shoot  of  the  preposition 
has  taken  root  in  the  language  and  grown  strong  into 
the  suggested  expression  of  modality. 

Now,  we  have  already  remarked  that  one  of  the 
favorite  make-shifts  that  language  employs  for  the 
suggestion  of  modality  is  the  quantity  and  quality 
words ;  that  is,  those  that  embody  a  predication.  We 
make  a  predication  of  an  aught  (never  of  an  action) 
and  give  to  this  predication  a  name;  as,  joy,  grief, 
quickness,  abundance,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  And  then  language, 
utilizing  this  name  of  the  predication,  says,  for  instance : 
4  he  has  joy,'  in  which  there  is  absolutely  no  literal 
meaning,  but  from  which  the  mind  draws  a  conclusion 
of  modality. 

This  means  of  modality-suggestion  was  then  multi- 
plied to  such  an  extent  by  the  formation  of  predicated 
adverb  and  predicated  adjective  expressions,  that  it  can 
be  said  to  form  the  basis,  the  principal  element  in 
modality-expression  for  all  language. 

Once,  then,  that  the  preposition  a  had  entered  the 
border  land  of  modality,  enticed  by  its  local  meaning, 
and  had  become  associated  there,  in  the  minds  of  the 
people,  with  modality-expression,  we  would  naturally 
expect  it  to  keep  on  and  enter  this  especially  chosen 
field  of  modality,  unless  indeed  some  check,  some 
clash  occurred  with  its  original  parent-meaning.  Now 
instead  of  there  being  a  clash,  there  was  a  great  propi- 
tiousness, — and  this,  because  language  in  endeavoring 
to  grasp  neatly  the  import  of  these  names  of  predication, 
had,  happily  for  the  destinies  of  our  preposition,  asso- 
ciated them  with  space  !  Grief,  what  is  it  ? — a  place,  a 


The  Preposition  A.  55 

world,  a  somewhere :  doest  thou  that,  and  thou  shalt 
surely  come  to  grief;  and  then  the  rich  man,  as  in  a 
castle,  lives  in  (not  from,  with  or  ~by)  plenty. 

The  road  then  is  not  only  clear  but  especially  easy 
for  the  passage  of  a  to  the  expression  of  pure  modality. 
Constructions,  however,  do  not  develop  by  jumps ;  but 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  the  growth  is  as  a  chain, 
each  link  of  which,  by  looking,  we  can  find.  And  from 
the  concrete  divisions  of  space,  to  the  names  of  abstract 
predications,  there  is  quite  a  distance.  What  are  the 
connecting  links,  then,  between  these  two  points? 

In  this  passage  of  a  from  the  divisions  of  space  to 
the  names  of  predication,  we  have  a  change  from  the 
concrete  to  the  abstract,  and  for  the  purpose  of  recon- 
stituting the  stages  of  the  passage  we  will  set  before 
us  the  three  elements  of  the  construction  and  study  the 
changes  that  take  place  in  each,  the  one  in  its  relation 
to  the  other.  All  three  elements  (the  a-phrase,  the 
verb,  and  the  suggested  idea)  may,  at  the  beginning, — 
in  '  carry  on  the  back,'  for  instance, — be  said  to  be  of  a 
concrete  nature,  that  is,  belonging  to  the  physical  class 
of  ideas.  The  '  on  the  back '  is  physical,  and  the 
modal  idea  resulting,  though  naturally  abstract  in  itself, 
is  here  of  a  physical  or  concrete  nature.  Now,  we 
would  naturally  expect  that  '  the  idea '  would  be  the 
first  of  these  three  elements  to  become  completely 
abstract  or  spiritual,  and  for  this  stage,  those  examples 
are  valid  that  have  the  other  two  elements  still  con- 
crete or  physical,  but  the  idea  entirely  removed  from 
the  physical  world ;  as,  for  instance,  in  the  following 
example  from  Lais,  Yon.  89:  Yonec's  mother  is 
miserable  with  the  old  man  to  whom  she  has  been 
married  against  her  will;  she  complains  that  she 
cannot  go  to  church,  nor  speak  with  people,  nor  have 


56  The  Preposition  A. 

any  other  pleasure;  and  then  worked  into  a  fury  at 
these  reflections,  she  breaks  out : 

"  Maleeit  seient  mi  parent  E  li  altre  comunalment,  Ki  a  cest 
gelus  me  donerent  E  de  sun  cors  me  marierent !  A  forte 
corde  trai  e  tir!  II  ne  purra  ja  mes  murir;  Quant  il  dut 
estre  baptiziez,  Si  fu  el  flum  d'enfern  plungiez;  Dur  sunt  li 
nerf,  dures  les  veines,  Qui  de  vif  sane  sunt  tutes  pleines." 

Here  the  a-phrase  and  the  verb  are  perfectly  physical 
and  the  idea  perfectly  spiritual.  The  next  one  of  the 
three  elements  to  enter  the  non-physical  world  is  the 
verb :  as,  in  Lais,  Chait.  97 :  "  a  esperun  Choisi 
chescuns  sun  cumpaignun  "  where  the  idea  is  abstract 
and  the  verb  is  abstract,  but  the  a-phrase  still  concrete. 
And  now  the  a-phrase  itself  becomes  abstract,  but  as 
if  it  were  not  yet  entirely  strong,  it  appears  first  joined 
to  physical  verbs ;  as,  in  Lais,  Guig.  201 :  Guigemar, 
wounded  grievously,  and  mystified  by  the  prophecies 
of  the  dying  hind,  throws  himself  on  a  bed  that  he  has 
found  in  a  boat  down  by  the  sea;  he  rests  a  little 
while,  and  then  stung  anew  by  the  pain,  he  rises  with 
the  intention  of  making  his  way  home ;  he  finds,  how- 
ever, that  the  boat  (guided  by  invisible  hands)  has  left 
the  shore  and  is  now  on  the  high  sea ;  he  feels  that  he  is 
lost,  he  does  not  know  what  to  do,  and : 

"N'est  merveille  se  il  s'esmaie,  Kar  grant  dolor  out  en  sa 
plaie.  Suffrir  li  estuet  Paventure.  A  Deu  prie  qu'en  prenge 
cure,  Qu'a  sun  poeir  Vameint  a  port,  E  sil  defende  de 
la  mort." 

Here  the  a-phrase  is  abstract,  but  the  verb  is  entirely 
physical,  and  even  the  idea  has  a  tinge  of  the  physical, 
as  if  to  lend  support  to  a  in  its  new  venture. 

Another   hybrid   construction   that   should   also   be 


The  Preposition  A.  57 

classified  among  those  that  make  up  this  passage  of 
the  preposition  a  from  concrete  to  abstract  expression 
is  where  the  idea  of  instrumental  modality  (which 
properly  is  peculiar  to  physical  ideas,  and  hence  to  be 
sought  for  among  the  space-divisions)  is  continued 
beyond  its  proper  domain,  thus  again  reinforcing  a  in 
the  accomplishing  of  its  duties  on  foreign  soil. 

I  allude  to  expressions  like :  apeler  a  halte  voiz. 
When  this  locution  is  compared  with  suivre  a  mult  halz 
<;riz,  for  instance,  one  can  but  be  struck  by  the  fact  that 
the  modality  of  the  first  example  is  expressed  much 
more  primitively  than  in  the  second.  Modern  lan- 
guage, indeed,  still  conserves  the  first ;  as,  '  to  call  out 
in  a  loud  voice,'  where  the  voice  is  looked  upon  as  the 
medium  through  which  the  calling  is  done,  and  the 
local  preposition  is  used  to  suggest  modality.  In  the 
last  example  (suivre  a  mult  halz  criz),  however, 
no  such  correspondence  of  idea  occurs  between  the 
a-phrase  and  the  verb ;  and  the  use  of  a  here  repre- 
sents an  advanced  state  of  development  from  the 
original  idea.  Both  expressions,  however,  belong  to  the 
semi-physical  group,  coming  in  between  the  divisions 
of  space  and  the  divisions  of  predicated  abstractions. 

And  then  after  these  stages  of  the  passage  we  come 
upon  hosts  of  examples  of  a  with  pure  predications, 
which  show  what  bountiful  life  the  new  construction 
has  acquired.  Such  are:  a  aise,  a  grant  amour,  a 
anguisse,  a  grant  bruit,  a  damage,  a  delit,  a  delivre,  a 
descouvert,  a  desroi,  a  grant  destreit,  a  escient,  a  grant 
espleit,  a  grant  force,  a  gas,  a  gre,  a  grant  haskiee,  a 
grant  honour,  a  hunte,  a  joie,  a  loisir,  a  mal,  a  grant 
martire,  a  paine,  a  peril,  a  qubis,  a  relours,  a  seur,  a 
seurtez,  a  sujur,  a  tort,  a  tristour,  and  many  others. 


58  The  Preposition  A. 

The  following  examples  will  document  what  has 
been  said: 

"Filz  Alexis,  de  la  toe  charn  tendre  !  A  quel  dolor  deduit  as 
ta  jovente  !  Por  quei  m'  fuiz  ?  ja  t'  portal  en  mon  ventre ;  E 
Deus  le  set  que  tote  sui  dolente :  Ja  mais  n'ierc  liede  por  home 
ne  por  femme."  Alex.  91  b. 

Li  emperere  en  tient  sun  chief  enclin  ;  De  sa  parole  ne  fut  mie 
hastifs,  Sa  custume  est  qu'il  parolet  a  leisir.  Rol.  141. 

Li  plus  forz  de  nos,  Li  plus  orgoillos  Vit  un  mult  poi  d'ore  > 
Quant  mielz  quidet  vivre  E  estre  a  delivre,  La  mort  li  cort 
sore.  Reimpr.  63  e. 

''  Biaus  fiz,  feit  il,  leissier  ne  doi,  Puis  qu'a  enor  tandre  vos 
voi,  Que  ne  face  vostre  pleisir.  Cliges,  180. 

Mout  fu  a  grcwit  honor  voee  A  Rome  au  jour  que  fu  doee 
Et  la  dame  et  de  son  per.  Ille,  89. 

"Que  chascuns  desresnier  voudroit,  Ou  fust  a  tort  ou  fust 
a  droit,  Que  cele  qui  li  atalante  Est  la  plus  bele  et  la  plus 
jante."  Erec,  56. 

Se  alcuns  en  fust  revenuz     Ajoie  serreit  receiiz.     Esp.  496. 

A  paines  trueve  Pon  Traitour  ne  felon  Qui  tiegne  nule 
loi.  De  fil  a  felon  pere  Ne  faire  ton  conpere ;  Ja  ne  te  tendra 
foi.  De  put  uef  put  oisel,  Ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  14. 

"  Dame,  se  nos  ne  gaeignons,"  Fet  Keus,  "  an  vostre  conpaignie, 
Gardez  que  nos  n'i  perdiens  mie !  Je  ne  cuit  avoir  chose  dite 
Qui  me  doie  estre  a  mal  escrite,  Et  je  vos  pri,  teisiez  vos  an  ! 
II  n'a  corteisie  ne  san  An  plet  d'oiseuse  maintenir." 

Yvain,  96. 

Ele  le  pleint  a  mult  halt  cri.     Lais,  2  Am.  222. 

Enon  diu !  fait  il,  je  vous  afie  quanque  il  vous  plaist.  II  li 
afie,  et  Aucassins  le  fait  monter  sor  un  ceval,  et  il  monte  sor  un 
autre  si  le  conduist  tant  qu'il  fu  a  sauvete.  Auc.  10,  81. 


The  Preposition  A.  59 

Une  grant  gate  demenda  Sur  une  taule  Fadenta,  Une  suriz 
a  desoz  mise ;  Puis  kemanda  qu'en  nule  guise  Au  vileins  qu'il 
ni  adesast  Ne  que  desoz  ne  regardast,  Car  il  voit  pres  a  un 
mustier  A  oroisun  pur  deus  proier.  Fab.  XLVI.  20. 

Droit  a  Paris  a  sa  voie  tornee ;  II  escria  la  gent  en  mi  la  pr£e, 
Si  s'escria  a  sa  vois  qu'il  ot  clere :  "Que  ditez  voz,  sire 
drois  empereres?"  Am.  Am.  405. 

Loeys,  li  fieus  Karle,  mal  gueredon  Fen  fist,  II  li  toli  sa  tere 
et  chou  qu'il  dut  tenir  Et  le  cacha  de  Franche  a  paine  et  a 
essil  Par  le  conseil  Makaire  que  ia  dieus  nen  ait,  Vn  mauais 
losengier,  un  quiuer  de  put  lin.  Aiol,  46. 

Tant  ont  de  lod  deliz,  d'avoir  tant  d'abundance,  Qu'il  n'unt 
de  lor  pechiez  nule  reconissance,  Trop  funt  d'averseries  et  pechent 
a  fiance,  Ceaz  n'avient  onkes  maiz  ne  de  mal  n'unt  dotance. 

PoeTne  mor.  73  c. 

Vns  ualles  biaus  et  gros  et  grans  Et  apers  et  plains  a 
droiture  De  toutes  biautes  ke  nature  Puet  en  un  cors  d'omme 
asseoir,  Et  si  ne  pooit  pas  auoir  Plus  de  .ij.  ans  auoeques  .xx. 
D'eage,'  deuant  le  roi  uint  Et  dist :  etc.  Ch.  II.  esp.  1607. 

La  queile  cant  ele  ot  esgardeit  lo  serf  de  deu,  ele  esprise  par 
Famor  de  son  filh  tint  par  lo  frain  lo  iument  de  Libertin,  et  si  dist 
a  serement:  En  nule  maniere  ne  t'en  iras,  se  tu  n'  auras 
susciteit  mon  filh.  Dial.  Gr.  12,  15. 

Seignors,  si  or  volez  entendre,  Se  deu  plaist,  vus  porrez 
aprendre  Aucune  veie  profitable  Por  venir  a  si  haute  table  Des 
noces,  ou  uul  n'entera  Qui  a  dveit  vestu  ne  serra  De  covenable 
vesteure :  Car  Pom  n'i  ad  d'autre  grant  cure.  Guil.  B.  D.  76. 

Li  lous  es  consoillours  acorde ;  Quar  tuit  tirent  a  une  corde 
Et  il  sont  genz  senz  conscience,  Que  de  rapine  font  cheuance. 

Lyon.  Ys.  210. 

Por  ceu  si  uos  di  in  chier  freire.  ke  rniez  ualt  ke  nos  repoigniens 
ancuen  bien  si  nos  Fauons.  ke  ceu  ke  nos  Failliens  mostrant.  tot 
ensi  cum  li  mendit  ki  ne  mostrent  mies  lor  preciouses  uestures 
quant  il  demandent  Falmoue '.  anz  mostrent  lor  dras  dexiriez  et  lor 


60  The  Preposition  1. 

menbres  de  mei  nuz  f  ou  ancune  enfermeteit  s'il  Pontf  por  ceu 
ke  li  cuer  de  ceos  kes  uaront  soyent  plus  tost  enclineit  uers  ols  a 
pitiet.  S.  S.  Bern.  17,  8. 

Apres  canta  la  calandres  a  doce  uois  et  bele :  "  Hai,  urais 
amans  loiax,  con  quisant  estincele  Vos  a  uostre  amie  trait  el  cuer 
sos  la  mamele.  Dames,  por  deu,  c'or  li  aidies !  mestrait  a  sa 
merele."  Venus,  128  a. 

Quant  ad  la  croiz  veiie  e  le  crucifi  en  sun,  Ben  veit  ke  signifie 
la  entaille  e  la  facun :  A  genoilluns  se  met  par  grant  devociun ; 
De  ses  errurs  fait  veraie  cunfessiun,  A  lermes  e  suspirs  fait 
ad  sa  uraissun,  A  jointes  meins  a  dit  e  a  weimentisun  : 
— "  De  mes  pecchez  demant,  beus  sire  Deus,  pardun." 

S.  Aub.  327,  328. 

Et  Diex,  qui  tous  les  biens  avance,  Mist  en  li  quanque  mettre 
i  dut  Nature,  qui  pas  ne  recrut,  Anchois  i  mist  tout  a  devise 
Biaute,  bonte,  sens  et  francise.  Manek.  75. 

A  grant  joie  et  a  grant  deport  Cevaucierent  tant  qu'il  i 
vinrent,  Duskes  la  petit  sejor  tinrent.  Jh.  Bl.  178. 

De  Nerbonne  s'en  istrent  li  chevalier  a  plain,  En  une  praerie 
seur  la  riviere  au  plain  ;  Chascuns  des  chevaliers  tint  sa  lance  en 
sa  main.  B.  Comm.  110. 

"Seignour,"  dist  ele,  "pour  Dieu  ralez  vous  ent,  Le  demorer  ne 
lo  pas  longuement ;  Dites  Charlon,  oiant  toute  sa  gent,  Gaufrois 
nel  orient  un  espi  de  forment,  Ne  ne  feroit  pour  lui,  ce  dist, 
noient ;  S'il  ne  li  siet,  s'en  praigne  vengement.  Des  couvenances 
que  li  ot  en  couvent  Li  dux  Gaufrois  oti  Danemarche  apent, 
Tres  bien  li  dites  que  il  moult  s'en  repent  Et  moult  le  tient  a 
grant  abaissement.  Enf.  Og.  327. 

Quant  cele  nouvele  oy  ot,  Au  plus  tost  que  il  onques  pot 
S'esrnut  pour  aler  cele  part  JL'a  envis  quitteroit  sa  part  De 
deffendre  ce  dont  devoit  Estre  sires  quant  Dieu  plairoit. 

Cleom.  426. 

Mais  il  estoit  a  mort  hais  De  ses  freres,  pour  che  mieus 
L'amoit  li  peres  de  ses  fieus.  Vr.  An.  84. 


The  Preposition  A.  61 

Eichement  fu  vestue  d'un  riche  drap  d'Octrente ;  Tel  coronne 
ot  el  chief  qui  moult  li  atalante,  Cent  mile  mars  valoit  et  plus, 
a  droite  vente.  Berte,  275. 

66 A  grant  seurte  i  seres,     Quanque  uorrez,  i  aueres." 

Rich.  227. 

Entre  les  autres  voi  venir  .1.  home  qui  bien  maintenir  Se  sot 
a  guise  d'ome  noble,  Et  de  ci  en  Constentinoble  N'ot  plus 
bel  nul,  je  croi,  de  li,  Por  coi  assez  plus  m'abely  A  bien  regarder 
sa  figure.  Et  sa  biaute  et  sa  faiture.  Pant.  227. 

Or  chevauchent  les  os,  a  moult  riche  barnage. 

Bast.  79. 

La  ot  .j.  chevalier  c'om  apeloit  Grifon,  Qui  leur  a  dit  en  haut : 
"  Biax  seigneur  compaignon,  Pensons  du  chevatichier,  alons  ent 
au  dongon ;  Nous  avons  bien  oy  le  message  a  bandon  Qui 
nous  dit  de  1'enfant  la  noble  nassion,  Pensons  de  Pesploitier  sans 
nule  arestoison  De  ci  qu'a  la  Montaigne,  a  Dieu  benei'son ;  Con- 
seillon  noseigneur  que  est  enciens  hon,  Car  il  en  a  mestier,  selonc 
m'entencion."  Brun,  97. 

— The  expression  of  temporal  modality. 

Temporal  modality  is  suggested  in  two  ways :  either 
by  employing  the  old  make-shift  of  predication,  or  by 
the  suppression  of  the  article.  As  examples  of  the  first 
instance  may  be  taken :  a  bonne ,  mauvaise,  forte,  etc., 
lieure ;  of  the  second,  a  tens,  a  nuit,  a  tons  jours,  etc., 
etc.,  etc. 

That  the  suppression  of  the  article  with  temporal 
expressions  should  bring  about  a  suggestion  of  modality 
is  easy  to  understand;  inasmuch  as  here  time  is  no 
longer  pitted  against  time  and  hence  divided  and 
definite,  but  temporality  is  contrasted  with  locality  in 
such  an  indefinite  way  that  the  mind  is  no  longer  able 
to  apply  the  regular  &'w0-measurements  and  get  a  satis- 


62  The  Preposition  A. 

factory  answer  to  the  question  when  9  but  finds  that  it 
must  leave  time  and  go  to  locality  for  its  measurement. 
This  brings  about  the  old  state  of  affairs  of  a  when 
+  where  =  modality.  Thus,  if  we  say  l  in  the  time ' 
the  mind  has  at  once  the  conception  of  many  different 
'  times'  and  the  consciousness  that  a  special  one  of  these 
is  to  be  considered ;  in  other  words,  that  time  is  to  be 
measured  with  time.  But  if  we  say  '  in  time '  the  state 
of  things  is  entirely  different.  We  no  longer  find  a 
measurement  implied  in  the  temporal  expression  itself, 
and  since  this  is  the  case  we  must  wait  until  space 
produces  this  measurement,  for  what  is  not  time  must 
be  space.  Hence  to  the  '  in  time '  must  be  added  or 
implied  the  '  for  what  thing '  as  measurement,  which  is 
far  removed  from  temporality  being  of  a  purely  local 
nature. 

What  is  true  for  time,  is  true  for  its  divisions. 
A  nuit,  a  jour,  a  point,  a  veoir,  a  cheoir,  etc.,  etc.,  etc., 
are  to  a  la  nuit,  al  jour,  al  point,  al  veoir,  at  cheoir,  etc., 
as  a  tens  is  to  al  tens.  That  is,  in  the  case  of  the  first 
(a  nuit)  we  do  not  have  one  night  chosen  from  many 
nights  for  the  time  of  the  scene,  not  time  measured  with 
time,  but  we  have  night,  this  one,  that  one  or  many, 
dependent  on  some  local  idea;  as  theft  or  whatever 
clandestine  proceedings,  for  instance. 

I  have  found  for  temporal  modality  the  following 
examples  : 

Li  emperere  chevalchet  irSement,  E  li  Franceis  curious  e 
dolent ;  N'i  ad  celui  ne  plurt  e  se  dement,  E  preient  Deu  que 
guarisset  Reliant  Jusque  il  viengent  eP  camp  cumunernent :  En- 
sembPod  lui  i  ferrunt  veirement.  De  90  qui  calt?  Kar  ne  lur 
valt  nient :  Demurent  trop,  n'i  poedent  estre  a  tens. 

Rol.  1841. 


The  Preposition  A.  63 

Ja  fust  trop  grevains  li  escoz,  Que  issir  les  an  covenist,  Se 
ceste  janz  sor  aus  venist ;  Meis  il  n'i  vindrent  mie  a  tans. 

Cliges,  2001. 

Cevalerie  que  on  vent  Par  jangler  menu  et  sovent,  Ne  puet 
au  lone  a  bien  venir ;  Car  nul  n'en  daigne  sovenir.  Ille,  229. 

Par  deus  anz  1'a  il  ja  eii,  Qu'onques  chalangiez  ne  li  fu  ;  Mes 
se  il  ancor  oan  Pa,  A  to&jorz  desresnie"  Paura.  Erec,  598. 

Quant  oi  trestout  perdu,  Li  cuens  tout  esperdu  Me  trova  en 
Hainou;  A  la  bone  oure  i  ving,  Car  a  grant  chose  ting 
Ce  qu'il  tenoit  a  pou.  Buer  jeune  le  jour,  qui  la  nuit  est  saous, 
Ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  84. 

Plaindre  se  doit  qui  est  batuz :  Et  je  me  plaing,  si  ai  reison, 
Que  vos  m'avez  de  ma  meison  Chacie  afoudre  et  apluie. 

Yvain,  505. 

'  Par  fei ',  fet  ele,  '  mal  m'estait !  Jo  sui  cheiie  en  malves  plait ! 
leo  eim  le  novel  soldeier,  Eliduc,  le  bon  chevalier;  Unkes 
a  nuit  nen  oi  repos  Ne  pur  dormir  les  oilz  ne  clos. 

Lais,  El.  341. 

"Dame,"  dist  il,  "entendez  ma  raison,  A  nuit  sonjai  une 
fiere  avison,  Que  je  estoie  a  Paris  a  Charlon,  Si  combatoit  li 
ber  a  un  lyon."  Am.  Am.  867. 

"  E,  dieus  !  che  dist  li  enfes,  quel  brief  chi  a !  Makaires  de 
Losane  le  comperra,  Se  il  m'atent  a  cop,  le  chief  perdra,  Mes 
honors  et  mes  teres  me  rendera."  Aiol,  469. 

Et  ce  ne  doit  om  mie  de  tot  en  tot  blameir,  Car  enssi  puet  li 
horn  lo  bien  aconsturneir  Et  soi  de  jor  en  jor  en  Famur  deu  fer- 
meir  K'a  derrains  ne  ne  vult  ne  ne  s'en  puet  turneir. 

Pofcme  mor.  23  d. 

Durement  a  a  ce  pense,  Puis  dist  en  bas :  "  Diex !  ke  ferai, 
Quant  ie  ia  mais  ne  uoi  ne  sai  Nule  rescousse  de  ma  tiere  ?  A  tart 
mouura  mais  pour  moi  guerre  Li  rois  Artus,  car  i'ai  perdue  Ma 
terre,  mais  n'ert  deffendue  Par  lui  ne  n'ert  a  la  rescousse. 

Ch.  n.  esp.  558. 


64  The  Preposition  A. 

Bone  uiande  ai  danz  la  cruise,  Sou  que  folie  ne  te  nuise.  Se  tu 
la  uuez  trop  haut  leuer,  A  cheoir  se  porroit  creuer. 

Lyon.  Ys.  764. 

Li  altre  sunt  ki  forment  sunt  cusencenols  de  remettre  ancune 
creature  en  paix  quant  il  la  uoient  un  petit  escandalizieie. 
et  paisiule  sembleroient  estre  si  ceu  nen  estoit  c'um  les  puet  plus 
a  tart  et  plus  a  poines  acoysier  ke  toz  les  altres. 

S.  S.  Bern.  19,  6. 

Tains  fu  et  pales  et  tos  descolores.  "  Oures  "  dist  il  "  terre,  si 
m'engloutes  !  Con  a  fort  cure  fui  de  ma  mere  nes,  Quant  por 
amors  sui  si  mal  atornes.  Venus,  56  c. 

Trespassable  est  li  mundz  e  tute  sa  beute  Cum  est  la  flur  du 
champ  u  cum  Ferbe  du  pre ;  Mes,  ki  sert  Deu  e  fait  la  sue  volunt6 
E  murt  en  sun  servise,  a  bonure  fu  ne :  Cist  regnera  eu  ciel 
sanz  fin  curune".  S.  Aub.  351. 

Tout  furent  lie  de  sa  venue  •  Li  rois  boinement  le  salue.  La 
pucele  respont  a  point  Que  Damediex  boin  jor  lor  doinst. 

Manek.  781. 

Douch  tans  faisoit,  comme  en  este;  Asses  avoient  de  clarte, 
Car  la  lune  clere  leur  luist,  Qui  a  veoir  pas  ne  leur  nuit. 

Jh.  Bl.  1812. 

"  Amustans  ",  fait  il,  "  sire,  pourquoi  vous  tormentes  ?  LaissiSs 
&  Buevon  dire  toutes  ses  volentes,  Car,  se  j'en  sui  creiis,  pas  ne  le 
destruires,  Ne  lui  ne  nul  des  autres,  se  croire  me  voule"s ;  Mais 
tout  droit  a  Barbastre  la  les  envoieres,  Car  s'en  ceste  besoigne  de 
vostre  gent  perdes  Que  la  gent  de  Nerbonne  aient  enprisonne"s, 
Tousjours  quatre  des  vostres  pour  un  des  lor  raures ;  Tout 
a  tans  au  destruire,  se  il  vous  plaist,  venres."  B.  Comm.  703. 

Lors  ont  la  chose  tout  a  point  devisee,  Coument  sera  a  roy 
Charlon  moustree.  Enf.  Og.  177. 

K'Espaigne  lairoit  a  tous  jours  Ne  mais  n'i  seroit  ses  retours. 

Cleom.  387. 

A  mauvais  hoir  1'abandonna,    Et  a  mauvais  hoir  est 

venus.     Vr.  An.  200-201. 


The  Preposition  A.  65 

"Seignor,"  ce  dist  la  vielle,  "alez  vous  atorner,  Et  je  irai  la 
chose  tout  a  point  aprester,  Et  lors  ferez  vous  ce  que  vorrai 
conmander."  Berte,  514. 

Hideuse  fu  li  noise  qui  la  fa  chellui  jour,  De  cors  et  d'olifans, 
de  trompes,  de  labour,  Des  navres  qui  gisoient  en  maint  lieu  par 
Pestour.  La  fierent  Pun  a  Pautre  en  moustrant  telle  irour 
Qu'a  veoir  seulement  eiissies  grant  hisdour ;  Pieton  et  chevalier 
et  tout  li  haut  seignour  Estoient  tout  souilliet  de  sane  et  de 
suour.  Bast.  361. 


3.   The  preposition  a  in  expressions  of  appurtenance. 

An  expression  of  appurtenance  or  possession  comes 
into  existence  at  the  instance  of  a  desire  to  differentiate 
one  aught  from  another.  Were  language  so  rich  that 
proper  names  existed  for  each  and  every  unity  of  each 
and  every  class,  possessive  locutions  would  not  exist. 

Name-giving,  however,  did  not  nor  could  not  go  this 
far ;  and  language  met  the  requirements  of  thought  as 
best  it  could ;  namely,  by  sticking  on  to  an  aught  that 
had  a  nomen  proprium  the  aught  that  did  not  have  one, 
making  thus  one  name  serve  a  double  purpose. 

A  remarkable  cathedral,  for  instance,  existed  some- 
where for  which  language  had  been  too  poor  to  give  a 
name;  the  city  around  it,  however,  had  been  differ- 
entiated from  all  other  cities  by  the  baptizing  of  it, 
Reims  ;  and  now  since  language  had  not  found  for  the 
cathedral  a  '  St.  Peters '  or  a  '  Santa  Croce/  it  did  the 
next  best  thing  it  could  towards  differentiation  and 
said:  '  The  Reims  Cathedral/  or  'the  Cathedral  of 
Reims/  or  'the  Cathedral  at  Reims/  all  of  which 
expressions  mean :  The  cathedral  that  the  personified 
aught,  c  Reims/  numbers  among  her  possessions.  It  is 
6 


66  The  Preposition  A. 

thus  that  the  preposition  a,  commencing,  as  it  always 
does,  with  the  idea  of  place,  takes  up  a  new  role :  the 
expression  of  appurtenance. 

Now  grammarians  have  a  peculiar  way  of  viewing 
at  times  linguistic  facts  in  all  other  but  linguistic 
lights.  Thus  in  the  case  of  the  present  construction, 
for  instance, '  la  Cathedrale  a  Reims '  is  looked  upon  as 
one  construction  and  t  la  maison  a  Jean,'  for  instance, 
as  another.  A  Jean,  they  say,  is  a  personal  appurten- 
ance, or  possession ;  while  a  Reims  is  non-personal  or 
thing-appurtenance,  and  means  simply  where.  A  Reims, 
then,  is  regarded  as  a  construction  that  needs  no  ex- 
planation, inasmuch  as  'j'ai  ete  a  Reims? — meaning:  'I 
have  been  at  Reims,' — was  said  previously  and  hence 
paved  the  way  for  '  the  Cathedral  at  Reims.'  A  Jean, 
however,  they  think,  does  need  an  explanation  inas- 
much as  the  a  Jean  in  '  j'ai  ete  a  Jean '  (a  possible  Old 
French  expression  equivalent  to  the  Modern  French 
'j'ai  ete  chez  Jean,')  and  the  ' maison  a  Jean'  have  a 
different  signification,  the  latter  meaning  possession, 
the  former  something  else.  ...  If,  however,  we  lay 
aside  logical  deductions  and  confine  ourselves  strictly 
to  conclusions  drawn  from  grammatical  premises,  no 
such  difference  of  signification  is  seen  to  exist  between 
a  Reims  and  a  Jean,  and  one  construction  becomes  as 
easy  as  the  other  and  identical  with  the  other. 

For  logic  Reims  is  a  place;  for  language  it  is  a 
person,  otherwise  it  would  not  have  a  nomen  proprium. 
The  moment  that  an  aught  receives  a  name  then  and 
there  it  enters  into  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of 
persons,  inasmuch  as  it  has  been  personified,  whether 
this  aught  be  a  sword,  a  church,  an  animal,  a  ship,  or 
what  not.  These  rights  and  privileges  are  recognized 
at  once  by  the  language,  but  the  logic — save  in  the 


The  Preposition  A.  67 

minds  of  those  who  gave  the  name,  and  who  hence  feel 
the  sentiment — continues  to  feel  the  aught's  existence  as 
it  did  before  the  personification.  Paris,  for  language, 
has  a  heart  that  throbs ;  for  logic  it  is  a  spot  in  space. 
Durandal  for  Roland  was  a  companion  of  arms ;  for 
us  it  is  only  his  sword. 

The  cathedral  then  a  Reims  is  not  '  where,'  since  for 
language  Reims  is  not  a  place.  Reims  is  as  much  a 
person  as  Jean  ;  and  if  Jean  possesses,  so  does  Reims. 
What  indeed  is  possession? — a  possession  is  that  which 
one  has,  holds,  or  carries  on  himself;  that  which  we 
can  control,  direct  or  govern  ;  that  is  to  say,  possession 
is  that  which  is  in  our  reach,  that  which  is  immediately 
near  to  us — and  here  we  come  back  to  the  space-idea. 
Reims,  then,  mighty  in  her  personification,  watches  over 
and  guards  jealously  the  beautiful  structure  that  stands 
within  her  walls  and  is  her  own.  .  .  .  Jean  can  do  no 
more  for  the  house. 

Now  it  might  be  said  at  this  point  that  since  local 
appurtenance  and  personal  appurtenance  had  been 
merged  into  one,  into  personal  appurtenance,  that  all 
the  difficulties  surrounding  the  explanation  of  the  latter 
had  been  extended  to  both  groups,  and  that  our  last 
condition  is  worse  than  the  first.  This,  however,  is  not 
the  case.  We  saw  in  the  t  Intermediary  Constructions ' 
(pp.  21-24)  a  use  of  the  preposition  «,  where  an  aught 
characterized  space  and  lent  its  name  to  it.  Thus  one 
was  seen  to  be  'at  the  devil,'  or  'at  the  king,'  or  'at  the 
maidens,'  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  Now  if  we  suppress  the  local- 
idea-giving  verb,  and  instead  of  saying  '  li  chevaliers 
est  al  roi  (=  le  chevalier  est  chez  le  roi),'  we  have  simply 
before  our  mind  the  scope  of  differentiation  and  say 
'  li  chevaliers  al  roi,'  the  idea  of  possession  is  obliged 
to  be  the  result  of  the  expression,  since  possession  is 


68  The  Preposition  A. 

proximity.  The  fact  that  in  Modern  French  the 
preposition  ckez  has  absorbed  from  a  the  entire  expres- 
sion of  verbal  proximity,  leaving  it  only  the  substantive 
proximity  (=  possession),  should  not  influence  us  to 
separate  grammatically  chez  Vhomme  and  a  Vhomme. 
It  is  probable  that  the  fortuitous  encroachments  of  this 
chez  have  done  more  than  anything  else  towards  the 
isolating  of  the  a  of  possession  and  making  it  seem  as  an 
independent  construction.  The  Old  French,  however, 
we  have  just  seen,  supplies  the  connective  link  that  is 
missing  in  the  modern  language.  The  cathedral,  then, 
at  Reims,  is  a  cathedral  chez  Reims;  and  the  '  maison  a 
Jean,'  is  a  '  maison  chez  Jean.' 

Again,  too,  when  the  language  refuses  to  make  a 
dative  of  the  possessive  a  it  ratifies  the  theory  that 
possession  here  is  purely  a  local  idea  ;  for  if  there  were 
an  idea  of  mental  operation  or  interest  we  would  surely 
have  had :  '  la  maison,  elle  lui  est ' — a  construction 
that  the  language  has  never  permitted.  Again,  too, 
the  very  ease  with  which  the  local  proximity  has  been 
recognized  in  expressions  like  a  Reims,  etc., — so  much 
so  indeed  that  the  real  idea  is  lost  sight  of — only  adds 
additional  evidence  to  show  that  the  possessive  a  is 
merely  another  offshoot  of  the  old  local  meaning. 

The  following  are  the  examples  I  have  at  hand : 

(a) 

Appurtenance  Employed  to  Designate  Possession. 

Fut  la  pucelle  de  molt  halt  parentet,  Filie  ad  un  comte 
de  Home  la  citet:  N'at  plus  enfant,  lei  volt  molt  honorer. 
Ensemble  en  vont  li  dui  pedre  parler,  Lor  dous  enfanz  volent 
faire  asembler.  Alex.  9  b. 


The  Preposition  A.  69 

"  Seignurs  baruns,  a  Carlemagne  irez  ;  II  est  a  V  siege  a 
Cordres  la  citet."  Rol.  71. 

Car  bien  sanblez,  et  je  le  cuit  Que  vos  soiiez,  fil  a  hau& 
homes.  Cliges,  365. 

Illes  ot  conpaignie  gente  Que  il  amaine  od  lui  de  France; 
Petit  prisent  mes  nul  sofrance,  II  voient  que  li  fiex  leur  frere 
Porte  les  armes  a  son  pere,  Tout  ausi  faites  connissances. 

Ille,  489. 

La  rei'ne  Ganievre  i  cort  Et  s'i  vint  raei'smes  li  rois,  Keus  et 
Percevaus  li  Galois  Et  mes  sire  Gauvains  apres,  Et  Torz  li  fi& 
au  roi  Ares;  Lucans  i  fa  li  botelliers;  Mout  i  ot  de  buens 
chevaliers.  Erec,  1528. 


En  eel  an  mei'smes  trovai     Un  evesque  a  que  jo  parlai. 
fu  al  tierz  Seint  Patriz    Qui  cumpainz  ert  Seint  Malachiz. 

Esp.  2073. 

A  paines  trueve  Pon  Traitour  ne  felon  Qui  tienge  nule  loi. 
De  fil  a  felon  pere  Ne  faire  ton  conpere  ;  Ja  ne  te  tendra  foi. 
De  puet  uef  put  oisel,  Ce  dit  li  vilains.  Prov.  Vil.  14. 

Si  grant  cop  con  je  poi  ferir,  Li  donai,  qu'onques  ne  m'an 
fains,  El  conble  de  Fescu  Patains,  Si  i  mis  tote  ma  puissance 
Si  qu'an  pieces  vola  ma  lance  ;  Et  la  soe  remest  antiere,  Qu'ele 
n'estoit  mie  legiere,  Ainz  iert  plus  grosse  au  mien  cuidier  Que 
nule  lance  a  chevalier  ;  Qu'onques  mes  si  grosse  ne  vi. 

Yvain,  536. 

Al  hafne  vient  a  Toteneis.     Lais,  El.  809. 

De  ce  n'as  tu  que  faire,  et  se  tu  fenme  vix  avoir,  je  te  donrai 
le  file  a  un  roi  u  a  un  conte.  II  n'a  si  rice  home  en 
France,  se  tu  vix  sa  fille  avoir  que  tu  ne  1'aies.  Auc.  2,  33-34. 

As  proudomes  et  aus  loiax  Avient  suvent  damage  et  max  De 
la  cumpaingnie  as  feluns  ;  Mau  veis  en  est  li  guereduns. 

Fab.  LXXIX.  41. 

Or  en  irons  a  la  cort  a  Paris.     Am.  Am.  195. 


70  The  Preposition  A. 

et  li  commande     Ke  il  face  mettre  la  siele     Sour  la 

mule  a  la  damoisiele.    Ch.  n.  esp.  622. 

Et  a  la  foie  a  Paoisement  de  mon  dolor  ce  est  aioint,  ke  la  uie 
des  alcanz  ki  lo  present  secle  de  tote  lur  pense  deguerpirent  a 
memoir e  a  moi  est  rapeleie.  Dial.  Gr.  6,  21. 

Furent  en  paine  e  en  dolur,  Desqu'a  tant  que  le  salveor,  Qui 
descendi  del  sain  al  pere  Yesti  char  en  la  virge  mere  E  vint 
reaindre  les  chaitifs.  Guil.  B.  D.  131. 

D'entor  lo  ny  lo  feu  alume,     Tous  les  pucins  a  Vaigle 

enfurne.     Lyon.  Ys.  740. 

Nos  conissons  trois  de  ses  auenemenz.  I'un  as  hommes. 
1'atre  ens  hommes.  lo  tierz  encontre  les  hommes. 

S.  S.  Bern.  13,  1. 

"  Por  ma  bealte  m'ama  si  com  ie  croi,  Gentils  horn  fu  et  si  fu 
fils  a  roi."  "Comment  fu  mors?"  "II  fu  ocis  por  moi." 
"  Por  uous  ?  coment  ?  qui  ce  fist  et  porcoi  ?  "  Venus,  255,  b. 

Mut  est  li  Deus  as  crestiens  de  grant  seignurie,  Ki  lie  k'£ 
pleisir  li  vent  e  ki  li  plest,  deslie.  S.  Aub.  1462. 

Fille  a  maint  roy  et  a  maint  conte  Virent,  dont  il  ne 
tinrent  conte.  Manek.  261. 

En  une  nef  as  marceans    Arriva  au  Douvre  Jehans. 

Jh.  Bl.  111. 

"  Sire,  moult  vous  devroie  amer  se  je  sage  ere,  Quant  a  conte 
sui  fenme  et  a  ces  enfans  mere.  B.  Comm.  106. 

AprSs  ont  tant  esploitie  et  erre    Que  en  la  terre  as  Danois 

sont  entre",     Mais  de  Gaufroi  n'i  ont  mie  trouve.     Enf.  Og.  294. 

Je  n'en  sai  autre  cose  estraire,  L'aniel  aiiient  a  deffaire,  A 
V enfant  ont  les  ieus  creves.  Vr.  An.  387. 

"  Sire,  je  en  sai  une,  par  le  cors  St.  Omer,    Fille  au  roi  de 
Hongrie,  moult  1'ai  oi*  loer,     II  n'a  si  bele  fenme  deya  ne 
mer ;     Berte  la  debonaire,  ainsi  Poi  nonmer.     Berte,  107. 


The  Preposition  A.  71 

Cheveux  ot  qui  bien  li  seoient,  Et  aussi  comme  or  reluisoient  ; 
Et  avoit  robe  d'un  dyapre,  Non  pas  trop  rude  ne  trop  aspre, 
Mais  si  bon  comme  Ten  pot  faire  ;  Je  n'en  sai  nul  de  tel  afaire 
N'il  n'en  est  nul,  mien  escient  ;  Ouvrez  de  pelles  d*  Orient 
Ert,  a  bestes  et  a  oysiaus.  Pant.  255. 

Dedens  Jherusalem  laissierent  un  baron  Pour  garder  le  chite" 
et  le  noble  roion,  Et  le  moullier  au  roy,  qui  Margalie  ot 
non.  Bast.  27. 

La  joune  dame  qui  fu  fame  au  chevalier,  Porta  le 
bacheler  dont  vous  m'oie's  noncier,  Qui  por  amer  ot  puis  maint 
divers  enconbrier.  Brun,  40. 


Appurtenance  Employed  to  Designate  a  Characteristic. 

Remembering  then,  always,  the  sentiment  that  gave 
rise  to  the  expression  of  possession,  namely,  the  desire 
for  aught-  differentiation,  we  come  now  to  one  of  the 
most  interesting  developments  of  the  preposition  a. 

In  the  preceding  chapter,  we  saw  an  aught  differ- 
entiated by  the  attaching  of  it  to  another  of  a  greater 
comparative  importance  :  a  port  by  a  city,  a  bed  by  a 
maiden,  a  cloak  by  a  knight,  etc.,  etc.  ;  that  is,  the  more 
insignificant  and  unknown  aught  became  known  through 
its  proximity  to  a  more  important  and  already  differen- 
tiated aught. 

But  now,  if  by  chance  the  aught  possessed  —  which  in 
itself  is  the  least  important  —  has  a  striking  character- 
istic which  differentiates  it  from  other  aughts  of  the 
same  class,  the  position  of  the  two  elements  may  become 
diametrically  changed,  and  that  one  which  in  reality 
possesses  the  other,  is  represented  as  the  object  pos- 
sessed. Thus  we  have  seen,  for  instance,  la  robe  al  che- 
valier ;  if  now,  on  account  of  some  peculiarity,  the  role 


72  The  Preposition  A. 

is  already  differentiated,  if  it  is  vermeille,  for  instance, 
the  knight  to  whom  in  reality  the  cloak  belongs,  is 
differentiated,  he  himself,  from  other  knights  by  the 
remarkableness  of  his  cloak,  and  represented  as  be- 
longing to,  or  known  by  his  proximity  to  it ;  and  we 
have  le  chevalier  a  la  robe  vermeille. 

JSTor  is  it  necessary  that  a  quality-word  be  always 
the  means  by  which  the  lesser  aught  is  raised  to  such 
distinction :  quantity-words  accomplish  this  purpose 
just  as  well.  A  man  has  a  wife,  for  instance,  and  he  is 
the  possessor ;  if,  however,  he  have  twelve  wives,  he  is 
differentiated  from  other  like  owners  by  the  number  of 
his  possessions  and  we  have  le  vallet  aux  douze  fames. 
So,  too,  in  military  terms  when  the  leader  has  a 
remarkable  number  of  men  he  is  differentiated  by 
this  and  we  find  him  making  an  attack  a  .c.  mile,  a 
cent,  etc.,  chevalier.  Here  also  must  be  classed  the 
a  /oz^-construction,  where  the  differentiation  of  the 
lesser  element  is  brought  about  by  tout,  another 
quantity-word.  Thus,  '  Hoiax  vos  vient  a  tote  s'ost,' 
where  ost,  which  in  reality  belongs  to  Hoiax,  becomes 
differentiated  on  account  of  its  entirety ;  and  to  such 
an  extent,  indeed,  that  it  differentiates  the  leader,  who 
ordinarily  comes  with  only  a  part. 

I  have  collected  the  following  examples  of  this 
construction  : 

Enz  eP  vergier  s'en  alez  li  reis,  Ses  meillurs  humes  enmeinet 
ensembl'od  sei ;  E  JZlancandrins  i  vint  a  I9  canut  peil, 

E  Jurfaleus  k'est  sis  fils  e  sis  heirs.     Rol.  503. 

"  Signer,"  fait  il,  "arrnes  vos  tost !  Hoiax  vos  vient  a  tote 
s'ost  A  .v.  cens  chevaliers  armes.  Ille,  985-986. 

For  lapucele  au  chainse  blanc,     Qui  le  cuer  ot  jantil  et 


The  Preposition  A.  73 

franc,     La  fille  au  povre  vavasor,      S'esjoi'esent  tuit  li  pluisor ; 
Et  por  Yder  dolant  estoient     Sa  pucele  et  cil  qui  Pamoient. 

Erec,  1075. 

"En  Salerne  ai  une  parente,  Riche  fenvme  est,  mult  a 
grant  rente."  Lais,  2  Am.  104. 

Or  dient  et  content  et  fablent  que  li  quens  Bougars  de  Valence 
faisoit  guere  au  conte  Garin  de  Biaucaire  si  grande  et  si  mervelleuse 
et  si  mortel,  qu'il  ne  fust  uns  seux  jors  ajornes  qu'il  ne  fust  as 
portes  et  as  murs  et  as  bares  de  le  vile  a  cent  cevaliers  et  a 
Ms  mile  sergens  a  pie  et  a  ceval;  si  li  argoit  sa  terre  et 
gastoit  son  pai's  et  ocioit  ses  homes.  Auc.  2,  4-5. 

Dedenz  Pyawe  le  fist  garder  Puis  li  cumance  a  demander  K'il 
voit  dedens ;  cil  li  a  di  Que  soue  ymage  meisme  vi.  Pur  ce,  fet- 
ele,  n'es  tu  pas  Dans  cele  cuve  a  tu&  tes  dras,  Si  tu  i  vois 
une  sanlanche  Tu  ne  dois  pas  avoir  creanche  En  tes  ouell  qui 
mentent  suvent.  Fab.  XL,  24. 

Lors  s'adouba  la  maisnie  Charlon,  Vestent  haubers,  lacent 
elmes  reons,  Ceingent  espies  as  senestres  girons,  Montent  Ss 
selles  des  destriers  arragons,  A  lor  cols  pendent  les  eseus  as 
lyons  Et  en  lor  poins  les  roiaus  confanons.  Am.  Am.  215. 

Et  par  desus  tout  ce  uous  mande  Con  cil  ki  uous  assaut  de 
guerre  K'il  est  entres  en  uostre  terre  A  tout  .oc.  mile  cheua- 
liers  Bien  eslis  estre  les  forriers  Ki  bien  guerroient  a  deuise, 
Et  si  a  la  roine  assise,  Ce  sacies,  de  Garadigan,  Si  ne  s'em  partira 
oan  Pour  pooir  d'omme  ki  soit  uis  Deuant  k'il  ait  tout  le  pais. 

Ch.  n.  esp.  257. 

"  Dex  te  saut,  frere ! "  au  port  sauaige  Dit  li  asnes  au  fol 
uisaige.  Lyon.  Yz.  606. 

Ne  beit  mais  des  bons  vins  gisantz  en  sun  celer,  De  riche  vaissele 
&  servant  butuiller ;  N'a  mais  delici'uses  viandes  &  manger ;  Prisun 
ad  obscure  pur  sale  e  pur  soler,  Manicles  e  buies  en  liu  de  buus 
d'or  cler ;  A  plume  ne  a  coton  ne  a  pailles  d'utre  mer, 
De  soie  coiltes  pointes  n'a  mais  lit  au  chucher ;  Feim  ad  e  sei  e 
freit  au  seir  e  au  disner,  Pur  lit  ad  roche  bise  si  dure  cum  acier. 

S.  Aub.  681. 


74  The  Preposition  A. 

A  tant  furent  les  tables  mises  Et  dessus  les  hestols  assises, 
Si  s'assist  li  quens  premerains  Et  puis  li  autre  qui  ains  ains, 
Et  Jehans  servi  de  trencier  Sa  damoisele  au  cors  legier* 

Jh.  Bl.  246. 

Aymeris  et  Guillaume  et  Bueves  au  cuer  vrai  Estoient  a 
Nerbonne ;  huimais  nul  mal  n'arai  Quant  je  si  faite  gent  ci  endroit 
nonme"  ai :  Preu  furent  et  preudome.  B.  Comm.  30. 

Quant  Namles  ot  la  nouvele  escoute*e  Que  Gaufrois  vient, 
grant  joie  en  a  menee ;  Centre  lui  va  a  maisnie  privee. 

Enf.  Og.  140. 

N'ai  pas  nomine"  tous  les  enfans  Qu'ot  Marcadigas  li  gentis 
De  done  Ynabele  au  cler  vis.  Cleom.  258. 

A  un  moine  courtois  c'on  nonmoit  Savari,  M'acointai  telement, 
Damedieu  en  graci,  Que  le  livre  as  estoires  me  moustra,  et 
g'i  vi  L'estoire  de  Bertain,  et  de  Pepin  aussi  Comment  n'en  quel 
maniere  le  lion  assailli.  Berte,  10. 

Avoekes  lui  avoit  Tangre  et  Buiemon,  Corbarant  d'Oli- 
ferne,  a  le  clerefasson.  Bast.  13. 

"  Sire,"  dit  li  varies,  "je  vieng  de  haut  pai's,  A  cent  cheva- 
liers  sui  qui  sont  en  ces  larris,  Qui  viennent  a  vo  mant  comme 
gent  de  haut  pris."  Et  quant  Butor  Foy,  si  en  fu  esjoi's,  Si 
donna  au  varlet  mile  mars  d'or  masis.  Brun,  452. 

— The  expression  of  temporal  appurtenance. 

Locutions  of  appurtenance  may,  in  rare  instances,  be 
said  to  express  temporality ;  as,  i  Ja  mais  n'iert  tels 
com  fut  as  anceisors,'  Alex.  1  e ;  or,  *  Custume  fu  as 
anciensj  Lais,  Prol.  9  and  Mil.  63.  As  the  reader  has 
already  remarked,  however,  I  have  thought  it  best  to 
place  this  construction  with  the  others  cited  under  the 
title  of  '  A  characterizing  aught  in  temporal  space 7  (page 
25).  In  as  anceisors,  as  anciens,  etc.,  I  can  hardly  find 


The  Preposition  A.  75 

for  the  preposition  a  developed  meaning  of  possession, 
but  rather  the  primitive  expression  of  the  where: 
1  among  the  ancients,7  '  with  our  fathers/  etc.  The  fact, 
however,  that  both  ideas  are  here  represented  (no 
matter  whether  we  may  choose  for  the  predominance  of 
the  one  or  of  the  other)  only  brings  to  light  again  the 
intimate  relations  that  exist  between  the  idea  of  place 
and  the  idea  of  possession  in  the  ^-formula  of  appur- 
tenance. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


The  following  bibliography  represents  the  works  that  have  influenced  me  in 
the  preparation  of  the  present  dissertation.  It  must  be  said,  however,  by  way  of 
explanation,  that  in  giving  the  bibliography  in  the  first  part  of  my  treatise  on 
the  preposition  a,  I  anticipate  to  some  extent  the  second  part  which  is  devoted 
to  the  discussion  of  the  meaning  of  the  preposition  d  with  words  that  express  the 
Direction  of  the  verbal  idea.  It  is  here,  in  the  second  part,  where  those  who 
have  expressed  themselves  upon  the  preposition  &  are  the  most  at  variance ;  and 
it  is  here,  too,  that  I  differ  more  widely  from  my  predecessors,  and  hence  where 
I  shall  have  frequent  occasion  to  refer  the  reader  to  the  above-mentioned  works. 

Yet,  inasmuch  as  the  present  dissertation  upon  the  preposition  cL  in  the  expres- 
sions of  Situation  is  nothing  more  than  a  prefatory  exposition  of  the  principles 
that  underlie  and  govern  the  treatment  of  the  preposition  a  in  expressions  of 
Direction,  I  have  thought  it  more  logical  to  give  at  the  start  the  bibliography 
upon  which  this  larger  and  more  important  second  part  is  based,  although  the 
bibliography  in  question  does  not  directly  concern  the  expression  of  Situation,  on 
which  indeed  nothing  of  note  has  been  written. 

Bourciez,  E.—  De  Prsepositione  ad  Casvali  in  Latinitate  JSvi  Merovingici.    Paris, 

1886.    Dissertation. 
Burguy,  G.  F. — Grammaire  de  la  Langue  d'O'il,  ou  Grammaire  des  Dialectes 

Franjais  au   Xlle  et  XHIe  Si&cles.      Tome  II.     Troisieme  Edition. 
.  Berlin,  1882. 
Darmesteter,  A. — Cours  de  Grammaire  Historique  de  la  Langue  Francaise. 

Quatrierne  Partie,  publie*e  par  les  soins  de  M.  L.  Sudre.     Paris,  1897. 
Diez,  Fr. — Grammatik  der  Eomanischen  Sprachen.     Dritter  Teil.    Fiinfte  Auf- 

lage.    Bonn,  1882. 

fitienne,  E. — Essai  de  Grammaire  de  1'Ancien  Franpais.     Paris,  1895. 
Engel,  E. — Uber  den  Gebrauch  der  Prapositionen  bei  Joinville.      Heidelberg, 

1884.    Programme. 
Gessner,  E. — Etude  sur  1'Origine  des  Propositions  Fra^aises.     Berlin,  1858. 

Programme. 
Godefroy,  F. — Dictionnaire  de  PAncienne  Langue  Fran9aise.     Tome  I.     Paris, 

1881. 

Littre*,  E. — Dictionnaire  de  la  Langue  Franpaise.    Tome  I.     Paris,  1873. 
Lorenz,  C. — Uber  die  Verba  die  den  Infinitiv  mit  &  und  de  Kegieren.    Waren, 

1879.    Programme. 

76 


Bibliography.  77 

Lundehn,  A.  G. — Bemerkungen  iiber  den  Ursprung  und  die  Bedeutung  der 
Doppelten  Prapositionen  der  Franzosischen  Sprache.  Stolp,  1864.  Pro- 
gramme. 

Matzner,  E.— Franzosische  Grammatik.     Dritte  Auflage.    Berlin,  1885. 

Matzner,  E. — Syntax  der  Neufranzosischen  Sprache :  Bin  Beitrag  zur  geschicht- 
lich-vergleichenden  Sprachforschung.  Erster  Theil.  Berlin,  1843.  Zwei- 
ter  Theil.  Berlin,  1845. 

Orelli,  C.  von. — Altfranzosische  Grammatik  (Formenlehre),  mit  vielen  Conjec- 
turen  und  Berichtigungen.  Zweite  Auflage.  Zurich,  1 848. 

Soltmann,  H. — Der  Infinitiv  mit  der  Proposition  d  im  Altfranzosischen.  Heil- 
bronn,  1881.  Dissertation. 

Tobler,  A. — Vermischte  Beitrage  zur  Franzosischen  Grammatik,  gesammelt, 
durchgesehen  und  vermehrt.  (Erste  Eeihe.)  Leipzig,  1886.  Zweite  Reihe. 
Leipzig,  1894. 

Wunder,  C. — Uber  den  Gebrauch  der  Prapositionen  im  Franzosischen  und 
Englischen.  Dobeln,  1875.  Programme. 


LIFE. 


I,  RICHARD  HENRY  WILSON,  was  born  the  sixth  day  of 
March,  1870,  in  Christian  County,  Kentucky.  In  June,  1892, 
I  took  the  degree  of  A.'  B.  at  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  of 
Baltimore,  after  having  passed  the  examinations  incident  to  the 
Classical  course.  From  June,  1892,  to  October,  1895,  I  studied 
abroad,  passing  during  this  time  three  scholastic  years  at  the 
University  of  Paris  in  the  study  of  French  literature,  six 
months  in  Spain  and  six  months  in  Italy  in  the  study  of  the 
spoken  languages  of  these  two  countries.  The  scholastic  year  of 
1895-1896  I  spent  at  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  in  the  study 
of  Romance  Philology,  after  which  I  went  to  the  University  of 
Berlin  where  I  studied  for  a  year  the  Syntax  of  the  French 
Language.  In  October,  1897,  I  returned  to  the  Johns  Hopkins 
University,  where  I  have  followed  with  profit  Professor  Elliott's 
lectures  on  French  Dialects  and  those  on  Dante.  During  this 
year  I  have  also  had  the  honor  of  holding  the  post  of  Assistant 
under  Professor  Elliott,  to  whom  I  take  this  opportunity  of 
acknowledging  my  indebtedness  for  the  guidance  he  has  exercised 
over  these  six  of  my  student-years. 

BALTIMORE,  June,  1898. 


YC  676 


r          v 


